What is Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss in adults may be temporary or permanent. It can affect all age groups but is more common in older adults. About 30% of people above the age of 65 have hearing loss.

How Do We Hear?

Sound is transmitted to our brain via three parts of our ear:

• Outer Ear (Ear canal). Sound passes through the ear canal and vibrates the ear drum.
• Middle Ear contains three tiny bones which are connected and vibrate to transfer sounds from the ear drum to the inner ear.
• Inner Ear contains the snail-shaped organ (cochlea), which converts sound into electrical signals and transmits them to the brain via the hearing nerve.

Hearing loss may result from:

• Natural ageing process (Presbyacusis)
• Exposure to loud noises
• Wax in the outer ear
• Middle ear problems
• Infections/ inflammation of the inner ear
• Certain medications
• Tumour of the hearing nerve

Symptoms

You may be suffering from hearing loss if you experience the following symptoms:

• Difficulty hearing conversations
• Frequently asking people to repeat what they have just said
• Difficulty hearing in noisy environments
• Need to turn up the volume of the TV/ radio
• Tinnitus (Ringing/ buzzing sounds in the ear)