Causes of Hearing Loss, Symptoms & Treatment |GA Hear

Not all hearing loss is the natural result of aging. Depending on the type of hearing loss you have and the symptoms you experience, you can be at greater risk for associated conditions like dementia, that can arise from leaving hearing loss conditions untreated.

Learning about the different causes and what they could lead to is key to being aware of your own hearing loss risks as well as those around you.

Different Causes of Hearing Loss

While a majority of hearing loss patients discover their hearing ability has simply gradually declined in one way or another through the course of getting older, hearing loss can be the symptom of an underlying medical condition. Age-related hearing loss is one type of sensorineural hearing loss, or a degradation of the pathway from the ear to the brain. Other causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:

  • Taking certain medications (ototoxic medications)
  • Being exposed to loud sounds
  • Having certain viral infections (including measles or mumps)
  • Developing acoustic tumors

Another type of hearing loss entirely is conductive hearing loss. It’s caused by physical blockages or changes to the inner ear environment that prevent sound from being processed by the brain correctly. Cases can range from simply having a buildup of earwax to having infections in the inner ear to inner ear tumors. Having a perforated (or ruptured) eardrum can also cause conductive hearing loss.

Many of these conditions are treatable through medications or simple procedures, and those that can’t be reversed can be (and in many cases, should be) addressed with a hearing aid solution that Georgia Hearing Aid Factory Outlet can provide.

Risk Factors of Hearing Loss

You may think that having a small degree of hearing loss, or recognizing that your hearing is degrading slowly with time, is a harmless development that you can get by without intervention. However, regardless of the lifestyle changes others may need to make to accommodate your hearing loss, not getting care for a decrease in hearing ability has its own risks.

Perhaps most well-documented is the link between untreated hearing loss and dementia. Scientists offer a few explanations for this connection, partly involving the brain’s increased activity trying to piece together the lack of auditory stimulation as well as the lifestyle changes that put people on a path toward a non-stimulating life.

Hearing loss can cause people to actively avoid social scenarios due to the increased stress of conversing effectively with others. This social isolation can, in part, explain the link between hearing loss and mental health issues like depression. Removing the stigma of having to use a hearing aid to maintain your lifestyle and social life should be your loved ones’ main goal as you seek help for your hearing loss symptoms.

Hearing Loss Solutions in Georgia

Anyone suffering from hearing loss should feel empowered to get the help they need to keep their lifestyle and prevent them from suffering from further complications they may be at risk for. Find the hearing solution that works best for you by visiting a Georgia Hearing Aid Factory Outlet location or contacting us online today. We serve patients throughout Georgia from cities including Dawsonville, East Cobb, Athens, and more.

Dawsonville, GA

  (706) 525-5463

Kennesaw, GA

  (770) 284-4640

Flowery Branch, GA

  (678) 616-2724

Atlanta, GA

  678 743-9586

Tucker, GA

  770 938-1397

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