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How We Hear
Any action that generates noise sends sound vibrations, or sound waves, through the air. The outer part of the human ear picks up these sound waves where it travels down the ear canal and into the ear drum. The eardrum is a thin membrane separating the outer ear from the middle ear. As the sound waves strike your eardrum, it vibrates three tiny mechanical bones of the middle ear. The middle ear is connected to the inner ear changes mechanical vibrations to nerve signals, which are then sent to the hearing center of the brain.
Typical cause for hearing loss: |
- Noise exposure
- Prebycusis (aging)
- Infections (Otisi Media, Otistis Externa)
- Head or ear trauma
- Congenitial abnormalities or genetics
- Ototoxic drugs (antibiotics, chemotherapy)
- Cerumen (wax) blockage
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Types of Hearing Loss
Conductive
This involves outer and/or middle ear.It can be a result from infection, wax, or physical traumma. Can often be treated medically.
Sensorineural
Can be result of aging, ototoxic drug. head trauma, disease, genetic, etc. Also known as nerve deafness. It involves the inner ear or auditory nerve. Usually untreatable and permanent. Treatment is amplification through use of hearing instruments.
Mixed Loss
A combination of conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. treatment is usually amplification through the use of hearing instruments. |
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Which instrument is right for me?
Hearing aids range in both size and sophistication of circuitry. Which combination of ciruitry and style is choosen depends on the individual's type and degree of hearing loss, cosmetic concerns, their dexterity, and budget concerns.
What realistic benefits should I expect from my hearing aid?
The ultimate goal of amplification is to restore - to as large a degree possible - the full range of hearing. By that, we mean that soft sounds should sound soft, comfortably loud sounds should be audible and understandable (loud, but not painfully loud). |
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How do I determine if I have a hearing loss?
Since hearing loss is most often a very graudual process, may of its symtoms are subtle. As hearing loss progresses, not all sounds are lost at an equal rate. Most often, the higher frequency sounds, which contain consonant information, are most afftected. Some symptoms are: difficulty understanding at public gatherings; straining to hear TV, radio, or telephone; asking others to repeat themselves; social life is hindered; smiling more and understanding less. |
- Reduces need for excessive volume.
- Better sound direction, balanced hearing.
- Improved hearing in noise.
- More natural sound
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One device or two?
There are numerous advantages for wearing two devices over a single device. A majority of hearing professionals endorse the use of binaural (2 devices) when treating a hearing loss. Benefits of binaural hearing: |
- Reduces need for excessive volume
- Better sound direction
- Balanced hearing
- Improved hearing in noise
- More natural sound
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| 175 Brookhollow 504-733-3767 |  | New Orleans, LA 70123 |
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