Q : What are the different types of hearing loss?

A : There are three types of hearing loss.

Conductive Hearing Loss :

This impairment is a result of sound not reaching the inner ear ( i.e. Cochlea ). This is caused by the blockage or damage in the outer and/or middle ear and takes place when there is a gap between the air conduction and bone conduction of sound. Some of the common causes for the same could include wax build-up, a perforated ear drum, fluid in the middle ear, or damage to the bones in the middle ear.

Sensorineural Loss :

This impairment is a result of dysfunction of the inner ear, the Cochlea (sensory part) or the hearing nerve (neural part) and takes place when there is very little difference between air conduction and bone conduction of sound.

Mixed Hearing Loss:

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This happens when there is a problem in both the conductive pathway (outer & middle ear) and in the nervous part (inner ear).

Q : Do I need a hearing aid even if I have mild to moderate hearing loss?

A : According to the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF), it is advisable to use a hearing aid even if one has mild hearing loss, so that the sounds which occur around the 40 to 60 decibel levels do not appear muffled. Such sounds are usually the low rumble of wheels against tarmac or that of machinery like the refrigerator.

Q : What is an audiogram?

A : An audiogram is a graphical representation of the intensity of one’s hearing loss. It is measured against the frequency level of a sound signal on the x-axis and its volume (dB) on the y-axis. It measures the air conduction as well as bone conduction loss levels in both the right and the left ear. An audiogram (which is obtained after audiometry) helps in diagnosis and selection of suitable amplification for the patient.

Q : What is speech therapy?

A : It is a kind of therapy that is meted out to individuals afflicted with speech impairment. It is also known as Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and involves a professional helping an individual with impaired speech properly express him/herself and phonologically process thoughts through vocal gestures and language. SLP is usually required for children who have speech disorder.

Q : What is tympanometry?

A : The ear drum is known as the tympanic membrane. Tympanometry is the test of the general, overall health of the middle ear, especially the ear drum. It is conducted to examine the presence of fluids, movement and sound conduction through the bones (malleus, incus and stapes). It is the acoustic evaluation conducted to obtain actionable quantitative medical information about the middle ear.

Q :What do I do if I feel about hearing problem?

A : If you think you are having hearing loss or you have trouble hearing even with one ear. You must visit a ENT doctor who will determine whether it can be treated medically. He will recommend you to an audiologist for a thorough hearing evaluation. Based on audiogram report you can get the degree of hearing loss and finally whether hearing aids can help you deal with it.

Q :What are the mechanisms of functioning of hearing aids?

A : A hearing aid has a microphone that takes in a sound and then runs it through filters onto the amplifier that sends these to receiver. This is because the sound is clean and amplified into the ear canal. The sound needs to move to the ear canal, vibrate the eardrum and it then permeates through the bones in the middle ear to the inner ear (cochlea). The inner ear contains the hair cells which assist in conducting the sound to the nerve.

Q :Will a hearing aid help me to hear?

A : Hearing aids are helpful yet they cannot bring back hearing to normal. They make you hear gentle noises which you were not able to hear previously and they make loud noises not become too loud and uncomfortable to you. The hearing aid will also help you to understand the words much better even when in loud environments.

Q :What should I do to choose the best hearing aid?

A : A number of factors will be the determinants in selecting the ear aid the right one to have. These are the type and measure of your hearing loss, the lifestyle choice you are in, the activities you like doing on a regular basis and the outer and inner ear canal size and shape. It will use these requirements to enable your hearing dispenser to select the most suitable hearing aid to fit your condition.

Q :Will I be required to have both ears hearing aid?

A : Binaural hearing has marked benefits over monaural hearing except when you are a one-eared hearing loss individual. Hearing loss which occurs because of age and noise tends to be bilateral. In case both ears are affected, than chances are you are likely to perform better using a binaural solution.

Q :How long does it take to adjust to wearing hearing instruments?

A : Once you start to wear your hearing instruments, you will find making conversation less tiring, using the phone more convenient and watching TV enjoyable. Of course, you need to get accustomed to the physical sensation of wearing hearing instruments but fortunately, this adjustment should not take too long.

Q :How long will my hearing aid batteries last?

A : Battery life depends on the length of time you wear your hearing aids, the size of your hearing aids, the type of circuit you have and the size of battery you use. Your hearing aid dispenser will be able to give an estimated life for your particular batteries.

Q :How should I take care of my hearing aid?

A : Check our videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hearingkolkata