The Recovery Capacity of Your Body
The physical body normally has the ability to recuperate from cuts, scratches, and fractured bones, although the recovery process might vary in duration depending on the damage.
But you’re out of luck when it concerns restoring the little hairs in your ears.
Up to this time, at least.
Animals have the ability to restore damaged cilia in their ears, recovering their hearing, a characteristic that researchers are currently trying to replicate in humans.
That means you may have a permanent loss of hearing if you damage the hearing nerve or those tiny hairs.
When is Hearing Loss Irreversible?
Upon discovering hearing loss, the initial concern that frequently emerges is whether the hearing will be restored.
Whether it will or not is dependent on a variety of things.
Two primary kinds of hearing loss:
- Obstruction-based loss of hearing: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can experience all the symptoms of hearing loss.
Earwax, debris, and irregular growths can potentially obstruct the ear canal.
Your hearing typically goes back to normal after the blockage is cleared, and that’s the good news. - Hearing loss due to damage: But there’s another, more prevalent kind of hearing loss that makes up about 90 percent of hearing loss.
This specific type of hearing loss, known as sensorineural hearing loss in medical terms, is typically irreversible.
The hearing process is triggered by the impact of moving air on tiny hairs in the ear which transmit sound waves to the brain.
These vibrations are then modified, by your brain, into signals that you hear as sound.
Prolonged exposure to loud noises can, however, lead to permanent damage to your hearing.
Damage to the inner ear or nerve can also cause sensorineural hearing loss.
A cochlear implant can help reestablish hearing in some instances of hearing loss, specifically in extreme cases.
A hearing exam will help you identify whether hearing aids will help strengthen your hearing.
Solutions for Improving Your Hearing
Sensorineural hearing loss presently has no cure.
But it might be possible to obtain effective treatment.
The following are a few ways that obtaining the proper treatment can help you:
- Maintain a good total standard of living and well-being.
- Effectively deal with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be dealing with.
- Take care of your remaining hearing to avoid additional damage.
- Keep isolation away by staying socially engaged.
- Prevent cognitive degeneration.
This treatment can take many forms, and it’ll typically depend on how severe your hearing loss is.
One of the most common treatment options is rather simple: hearing aids.
What Part do Hearing Aids Play in Dealing With Hearing Impairment?
Individuals going through hearing loss can use hearing aids to detect sounds which will allow them to function more effectively.
Tiredness is the outcome when the brain strains to hear.
Scientists have come to recognize that extended mental inactivity poses a considerable risk to mental health, as new findings shed light on the importance of ongoing mental stimulation.
Your cognitive function can begin to be restored by using hearing aids because they help your ears hear again.
Research has revealed that wearing hearing aids can significantly slow cognitive decline, with some studies suggesting a decrease of up to 75%.
Contemporary hearing aids will also allow you to focus on what you want to hear while tuning out background sounds.
The Best Defense is Prevention
Preserving your hearing is crucial as once it’s gone, it’s often irretrievable. If an object becomes lodged in your ear canal, it can usually be safely cleared out.
However, this doesn’t diminish the risk posed by high-volume noises, which can be damaging even if they don’t seem overly loud to you.
That’s why making the effort to safeguard your ears is a smart plan.
The better you safeguard your hearing now, the more treatment possibilities you’ll have when and if you are inevitably diagnosed with hearing loss.
Receiving treatment can allow you to live a fulfilling life, even if complete recovery is not achievable.
To identify what your best option is, schedule an appointment with our hearing care professionals.