Broadlawns Medical Center Audiology FAQs Courtney Thayer, AuD Broadlawns Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic What is the ear? There are three main parts of the ear: 1. The outer ear is the outside of the ear that we all think of when we say ear, but also includes the ear canal. 2. The middle ear is mucus lined, like your sinuses, and holds 3 of the tiniest bones in your body that push the sound into the inner ear. 3. The inner ear is where the sound is converted from a sound wave to electrical, nerve impulses that get sent to the brain for processing. What causes hearing loss? The main cause of hearing loss is the aging process. It can also be genetic, starting sooner in life. As we get older, things in our body slow down and it is no different with our ears. Hearing loss can be “sensorineural”, meaning permanent nerve damage. This is the most common type of hearing loss. Some people are born with hearing loss. Others have damage to the ear from exposure loud noises without proper hearing protection. Hearing loss is increasing for the younger population due to the use of ear buds at unsafe levels. For those with sensorineural hearing loss, hearing aids are the main form of treatment to give the ear back the sound that it is missing. Another type of hearing loss is called “conductive.” This type of hearing loss means that something is blocking the sound from getting into the inner ear. This can be things like excessive ear wax or fluid built up in the middle ear space. This type of hearing loss is typically reversible using either medication or surgery and the Audiologist would refer you to an ENT doctor for medical intervention. What is that ringing in my ears? This is called tinnitus and is typically a symptom of hearing loss. Tinnitus is permanent, but changes, typically in volume, throughout the day. It can present itself in many different sounds: crickets, ringing, buzzing, white noise, chirping etc. Most people find tinnitus annoying but can continue daily tasks, even with the ringing present. Others, need more assistance to reduce the severity of the tinnitus and may this with noise such as having a sound machine running in the background. Others with hearing loss need the treatment of hearing aids to alleviate the tinnitus. The tinnitus will not go away, but it can be managed. How do I know if a sound is too loud and I need hearing protection? Sounds louder than 75-80 dB HL can be damaging over time. Very loud exposures, like gunshots, can damage the ear with the first exposure. There are many sound level meter apps that are pretty accurate. I use “Soundprint” to identify sound levels in my everyday life to determine if hearing protection is warranted. Did you know that lawn mowers,
29 Publizr Home