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Types of hearing loss (and what it means for your hearing care)

Our priority is to understand your hearing loss so we can determine the best next steps

Hearing loss is the decrease in how well you can hear and comprehend sounds. There are various types of hearing loss, which describe the location of damage or issues within the hearing system.


If you have any degree of loss to your hearing, determining the type will help to clarify a crucial question: what’s the best options to manage the hearing loss.


Hearing loss is common

Even though hearing loss is common, it is normal for many adults to be unaware they even have a hearing loss. Over half of Canadians have at least mild hearing loss, but around 77% do not perceive any loss of hearing.

 

Many people wait until they have serious challenges hearing and comprehending others before booking a hearing test. We are passionate about hearing evaluations because they provide essential information that will be valuable now and in the future. See what to expect from a hearing test from Professional Audiology.


Hearing loss is complex

With various causes, impacts and severity, hearing loss can be complex to diagnose. The hearing system – which involves both the ears and the brain – transform sounds into signals using tiny hair and bones. New or persistent problems at any stage of this process can inhibit the comprehension of sounds.


The brain’s ability to adapt to hearing loss can offset or mask the impacts, making it difficult to fully assess the source and severity.


Types of hearing loss

The three types of hearing loss are categorized by the area within the ear that's affected. During a hearing test, your audiologist will conduct a series of assessments that focus on different regions of the hearing system. 

The goal of a hearing test is to understand the state of your hearing system and identify the location of any potential issue. Depending on the type of hearing loss, treatment can involve anything from ear wax removal to hearing aids and rehabilitation. At Professional Audiology, we focus on understanding the root causes of hearing loss so that we can help you and your family hear better.


Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss involves the outer or middle ear. The outer ear includes the outside of your ear that you can see, your ear canal and your eardrum. The middle ear is the area inside your eardrum containing three small bones that send sound from the eardrum to the inner ear.


Common causes of conductive hearing loss include:

  • Compacted earwax or foreign objects blocking the ear canal
  • Tumours
  • Infection of the ear canal, commonly known as swimmer's ear
  • Fluid in the middle ear caused by colds, allergies, infections or by fluid not draining from your middle ear to your nose
  • Perforated eardrums
  • Malformation of the outer or inner ear


Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss involves the inner ear, which is where sound waves are converted to electrical signals and are sent to your brain. The inner ear includes a snail-shaped organ called the cochlea, the semicircular canals and connections from the ears to the brain through the auditory nerve. 


Common causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:

  • Head trauma
  • Autoimmune disease of the inner ear
  • Ototoxic drugs (drugs that damage hearing)
  • Tumours
  • Loud noises
  • Hereditary hearing loss
  • Malformed inner ear shape
  • Ageing
  • Viruses and diseases


Mixed hearing loss

Mixed hearing loss occurs when you have a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This often means that sound is not properly passing through your ear, and that it’s not being converted to electrical signals or being sent to your brain. Many people with mixed hearing loss describe sounds as being muffled and quiet.


How hearing loss is measured

Hearing loss is measured by how loud something needs to be for you to hear it. For example, someone without hearing loss can easily hear a quiet conversation, whereas someone with severe hearing loss requires people to speak much louder than usual to hear. Hearing loss is broken down into the following categories ranging from mild to profound:

 

  • Mild: Quiet conversations may be challenging to hear (especially in areas with background noise). You may miss soft consonant sounds and have to ask people to repeat themselves. 


  • Moderate: You may have difficulty understanding regular speech and need to increase TV volume. Vowel sounds are often more difficult to hear.


  • Severe: Speech must be much louder than normal to be understood.


  • Severe to profound: It’s impossible to hear speech without amplification or cochlear implants.


  • Profound: Even with amplification, speech may be difficult or impossible to understand. Without amplification, you likely can’t hear loud sounds like jet engines, sirens or fire alarms.

 

If your hearing loss falls between categories, it will be described as a combination of the two.

 

What’s causing the hearing loss?

Hearing tests are the best way to determine what’s causing your hearing loss so that you can receive the best treatment. Hearing tests not only determine the degree of your hearing loss but can also test for a wide range of conditions, including tinnitus, ear blockages, infections and vertigo.

 

Our comprehensive tests may involve visual examinations, tympanometry tests of the middle ear, speech tests or tone tests. Here are the four questions we seek to answer during a hearing test:

 

  1. How much speech do you understand? We will emulate real-life scenarios to see if you can differentiate between similar sounds.
  2. Is your hearing loss progressive? Hearing loss can worsen over time. We will determine if your hearing issues are progressive and the rate at which it’s changing.
  3. What types of technology or treatment would be effective? We will match you with the latest treatment and technology that suits your lifestyle.
  4. What is your hearing baseline? Everyone's hearing is different, and establishing your baseline is the best way for us to monitor your hearing.

 

Here at Professional Audiology, we use the latest medical research and technology to diagnose and treat your hearing loss.

 

Book a hearing test at Professional Audiology Edmonton today to understand your hearing health.

How often should I get my hearing tested?

18 Apr, 2023
It’s routine for people to schedule medical checkups, like an annual physical, vision test or dental exam. But regular hearing tests are much less commonplace. Despite the integral role hearing plays in our daily lives, we just don’t tend to pay it as much mind. Your hearing is far from static, which is why we urge everyone—both young and old, known hearing loss or not—to get a hearing test and ensure you’re properly caring for all your senses. What happens during a hearing test? Hearing evaluations may be in-depth, but they are nothing to be nervous about. We won’t be poking and prodding you. Professional Audiology goes beyond the basic tests to better ensure our clients receive the thorough care they deserve. Here’s an in-depth overview of what happens during a hearing test. Hearing Screening A quick pass/fail test of your ability to hear different tones in each ear. It will indicate if you have hearing loss but will not go into any detail about the type or levels of degradation. If you fail a hearing screening, you should definitely get a full hearing test. Hearing Test Sometimes referred to as a hearing evaluation, these tests go in-depth into analyzing and diagnosing your hearing ability, your understanding of speech and assessing your outer, middle and inner ears. Components of a full hearing evaluation Your hearing is a two-part process, involving the physical action of hearing as well as the processing of the sound information once received by your brain. It’s crucially important to test based on both these factors to ensure you receive the proper care. There are a number of different tests that will be performed during your hearing evaluation. These include: Air conduction Otoscopy Bone conduction Tympanometry Word recognition Loudness discomfort levels None of these tests are invasive, and when combined, they offer our clients the fullest possible picture of their current hearing, and help highlight the best path to better hearing health. When should I get my hearing tested? There are many good reasons to receive a hearing test, and far fewer reasons not to. If you or someone you know has hearing loss, regular hearing tests are crucial to tell whether your loss is changing or degrading. If you’ve been receiving treatment for hearing loss, hearing tests will be able to gauge if that treatment has been successful in providing help and hopefully stemming the tide of further damage. If you work in a loud environment or frequent loud spaces like concerts, then regular hearing tests can be very helpful in guarding against further damage. Occupational hearing loss is unfortunately very common. If you ever notice a pervasive ringing in your ears, it is definitely in your best interest to receive a hearing test. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, and while it can’t be treated the same way, a hearing test can certainly help you better understand your condition. If you’ve never received a hearing test before, it can be very helpful for future visits to have a baseline to compare to, so in the future it will be easier to determine if any loss has occurred. If for any reason, you or a loved one is questioning whether they may be suffering from hearing loss, then a comprehensive hearing evaluation can either quell those concerns or help lead you to the next step in determining how to tackle and prevent any further hearing loss. 

How hearing loops help when you’re out and about

18 Apr, 2023
There are plenty of situations in your day-to-day life that require a level of active listening. For anyone with hearing challenges, this can create a barrier that makes going about your regular business quite difficult. One solution for dealing with this is hearing loops, a very helpful technology that can make a huge difference for folks who are hard of hearing. What are hearing loops? A hearing loop is a unique sound system that is used to transmit sound directly to a user’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. Made up of a physical loop of cable that is placed around a designated area, a hearing loop transmits sound by generating a magnetic field in the area which delivers a signal to properly equipped hearing aids. When hooked up to a microphone, a hearing loop carries a speaker's voice wirelessly to listeners hearing aids and is best implemented in environments like church halls, theatre rooms and public spaces like banks, information centers and similar public-oriented service providers. How do hearing loops work with hearing aids? For a hearing aid to pick up the transmitted sound from a hearing loop, it has to be equipped with a called a telecoil. Also referred to as a T-coil, this technology is made up of a small coil of wire wrapped around a rod that acts as an antenna to pick up the sound being delivered by a hearing loop. All cochlear implants have telecoils equipped, and nearly 80% of hearing aids either have a telecoil included or are capable of using one. It’s important to ask that a telecoil be included with your new hearing aids, as it is such a helpful tool to be used when you’re out and about. How do I use a hearing loop? This is arguably the best part of hearing loop systems, as cochlear implants and T-coil-equipped hearing aids automatically pick up the signal, meaning you don’t have to do anything to enjoy the benefits of crystal-clear communication. Say you walk into a bank with a hearing loop system. Rather than having to struggle to hear what the teller is saying behind their glass partition, you’ll be able to hear their voice clearly and succinctly without so much as pushing a button. Even better is going to a packed local play and not having to strain to hear the actors, as their voices are being transmitted directly into your ears. Hearing loops provide a level of access that hearing aids alone can’t even offer. More and more locations around the world are adding hearing loops to their services, providing those who are hard of hearing the chance to go about their days with an increased level of normality. Where can I find hearing loops in Edmonton? There are multiple locations around Edmonton that provide the added hearing assistance of a hearing loop. The popular Citadel Theatre in downtown Edmonton has hearing loops installed in two of its performance areas, allowing everyone to enjoy their shows the way they were meant to be. Most of the HSBC banks in the city are equipped with hearing loops, and all of Edmonton’s public libraries offer hearing loops at their front counters. You can go to Hearing Loops Canada For a more detailed list of hearing loop locations as well as plenty of other useful hearing loop resources. If you’re interested in the benefits of hearing loops, your first step should be to book a hearing test . Professional Audiology can help you find the right devices that will not only take advantage of the benefits of hearing loops but also greatly help improve your ability to hear. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.

Tips for hearing better when dining out

18 Apr, 2023
There’s no question that dining out can be a stressful experience for anyone suffering from hearing loss. With diners chatting away, cutlery clanging and music playing at an uncomfortably loud level, even folks with healthy hearing may have a hard time communicating with their table mates. These debilitating decibels can make it an easy choice to stay in and miss out on socializing, which can quickly take a toll on your overall mental well-being. Here are some straightforward tips and tricks that can help those who are hard of hearing have an enjoyable experience when heading out for a bite. Take the Time to Plan Ahead If you are the one planning the restaurant outing, then all the power is in your hands. Make sure to use it! When these tips are combined, they’re sure to increase the enjoyment level of your culinary excursion. Research quiet restaurants People love to make lists and categorize essentially everything online. If you live in an urban area, there’s a very good chance that someone has taken the time to discern which restaurants won’t blow out your eardrums. Choose your seating carefully If you’re planning early, you should be able to pick your seat. Sitting right in the middle of a crowded dining area, with noisy neighbours in all directions, is sure to cause you some distress. Specifically, ask for a high-backed booth or a corner seat where you’ll have a wall to your back. This is sure to cut out a lot of the clamour. Timing is everything As you are the master and commander of your outing, you have a lot more sway in picking the time for everyone to gather and chow down. While brunch is certainly trendy, it won’t be hearing-friendly. Neither will the middle of the dinner rush be. Pick a time after the lunch rush, before the dinner rush, or even have a slightly later dinner. That way, after you’ve devoured your food, the restaurant will be nice and quiet, allowing you and your guests plenty of time to comfortably sip your wine and chat the night away. When Not in Charge of Planning, Advocate for Yourself This can admittedly be quite a tricky one. Nobody wants to inconvenience their friends or loved ones with a perceived huge ask for accommodation. It’s uncomfortable, and odds are your brain will tell you you’re asking too much and being a real pain. We’re here to tell you, you’re not asking too much. Your hearing issue is a real physical and measurable issue. Your mates will more than likely be happy to help you have an enjoyable dining experience. If not, then we’re sorry your friends suck. Bottom line: as hard as it can be, advocating for yourself is more than acceptable. Take Advantage of Tech to Improve Your Dining Experience Thank goodness for the ever-evolving world of technology, as there are products, devices and apps out there that can help you get the most out of your social forays. One such option is the ability to live transcribe the conversations at your table using your smartphone. There are multiple free apps, including a Google Android app that allow you to actively read what is being said by those dining with you. While the technology isn’t perfect, and you may get some comedically hilarious translation hiccups, context will probably help you through those bugs. Hearing aids are life changers for those who are hard of hearing Of course, the tried-and-true method to help you hear your surroundings with clarity and accuracy is hearing aids. Gone are the bulky and awkward hearing aids that stick out like a sore thumb. In are the sleek and discreet hearing aids with advanced technology like directional microphones that will help you focus the conversation. Hearing aids really can make a hugely beneficial impact on your life. You don’t have to continue suffering on your own, struggling from one conversation to another. While not a 100% cure to all your hearing issues, they are by far the best and most effective option to get you back out socializing and enjoying your life the way you used to. You can start your road to hearing recovery by booking a hearing test with Professional Audiology. Our trained and knowledgeable audiologists will help you find the hearing aid solution that works best for your specific needs. Take that first step and see how hearing aids can help you take back control of your hearing health.
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