Hearing is fundamental to the perception of things around you, and your ears are important for not just accomplishing this but also providing balance and the tools to build communication through language. We accomplish this with a complex organ composed of three parts (your outer, middle, and inner ear), and our binaural hearing allows us to hear in three dimensions to localize noises with accuracy.
Hearing aids are often recommended for people struggling with ear problems that lead to hearing loss, but they are not the best solution for everyone. To see what options besides hearing aids can help you, let’s examine the types of hearing loss people often deal with and discuss many ways to preserve and improve this basic sense.
Residents of the Kissimmee and Orlando, Florida, area who need help with hearing loss can consult Drs. Wade Han, Elvira Livigni, De Armas, and the experienced staff at Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center.
Several conditions and factors can lead to loss of hearing:
Common signs of healing loss include trouble following conversations, needing to hear things at a higher volume, problems hearing higher-pitched noises, ringing or buzzing in the ear (tinnitus), pressure or pain in the eardrum, and dizziness.
Treating your needs will depend on the specific issues with your hearing, and if traditional hearing aids don’t fit your needs for whatever reason, here are some other methods to manage hearing loss:
The cochlea is located in the inner ear, and cochlear implants treat severe hearing loss by transmitting sounds through electrodes and converting them into impulses for the brain to interpret. Middle ear implants are another type that can help with conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
This device bypasses the inner and outer ear by transmitting vibrations through the skull, providing a new way to improve hearing.
These are tools that make sounds loud enough for you to hear and provide tactile and visual clues to help you identify things you need to hear. Audio induction (hearing loop), FM, infrared, Bluetooth, and personal amplified systems are all different forms of assistive listening devices.
No matter the method of treating hearing loss, this is essential to help you manage everyday issues, adjust to the solutions offered, and develop strategies to improve your quality of life.
This utilizes external noises to modify reactions and perceptions of sounds, using distraction (directing away from the ear problem), habituation (training yourself to block out the issue), masking, and neuromodulation.
Hearing loss can happen for many reasons, and it can be managed with many treatments besides hearing aids. Make an appointment with Drs. Han, Livigni De Armas, and Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center today to find out how to care for your hearing loss.
