Hearing loss is a condition that can develop very gradually, often over the course of many years. In the majority of cases, the person affected does not realize a hearing loss exists until it begins to cause problems or their loved ones urge them to seek help. Because the condition is not necessarily immediate, it is important to come to The Sound Room for a hearing assessment every year, as part of your yearly check-up. A medical history is very helpful for an Audiologist in determining if a problem with your hearing is developing. If a hearing loss is detected, the sooner treatment begins, the higher the possibility for a positive outcome.

Hearing Loss is Common

Hearing loss is an issue a great number of Canadians must deal with on a daily basis. In fact, one out of every ten Canadians of all ages is living with some form of hearing loss and it affects half of people over 65. It is important to remember that many people deal with the same issues and difficulties created by hearing loss and there are many professionals who have dedicated themselves to reducing the negative effects of the condition. At The Sound Room we are focused on providing the best technology and treatments available to improve our patients' quality of life.

Hearing Loss Affects All Age Groups

Many people believe that hearing loss is an issue that only affects older people, when in fact, 7 out of 10 people with a hearing loss are under the age of 60. Not only does hearing loss exist in people of all ages, it is actually a common health issue for younger Canadians. Our President, Dr. Marcoux is a world-renowned specialist in the detection and treatment of pediatric hearing loss. The Sound Room welcomes patients of all ages and you can be certain that the care they receive is the best possible and, importantly, age appropriate.

Hearing Loss Comes in Different Forms

Another important fact to remember is that not all hearing loss is the same. Many effective treatments have been designed to reduce effects of the various forms of hearing loss. The following are descriptions of different types of hearing loss and their associated conditions.

Sensorineural hearing loss (perceptive hearing loss) results from an inner ear disorder. We refer to a sensorineural hearing loss when the hair cells, neural fibres or their connections to the cochlea are damaged or do not function optimally.

If part of the inner ear is damaged, the ability to transform mechanical energy into the electrical energy that is sent to the brain is lost or reduced.

Characteristic signs of sensorineural hearing loss:

• Difficulties hearing sounds, especially soft sounds


• Difficulties distinguishing and differentiating among sounds, even loud sounds


• Low level sounds are perceived to be far too soft, and high level sounds too loud


• Often accompanied by tinnitus

Causes of sensorineural hearing loss:

• Ageing


• Noise-induced hearing impairment


• Heredity, congenital


• Illness or medicine

Treatment:

Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or the nerve paths cannot be treated surgically or medically. Many people with sensorineural loss can, however, benefit from hearing aids.

When sound is not conducted optimally through the outer or middle ear, the result is a conductive hearing loss. The specific hearing loss can originate in the outer ear, ear canal, eardrum, middle ear bones or a combination of these.

A conductive hearing impairment usually gives a mild to moderate hearing loss. The loss can affect all frequencies relatively uniformly or be especially pronounced in the low-frequency region.

Causes of conductive hearing loss:

• Ear wax


• Inflammation of the middle ear


• Perforation of the eardrum


• Otosclerosis


• Fracture in the chain of bones


• Deformity of the outer ear

Treatment:

Most conductive hearing losses can be treated medically or surgically, as for example when the hearing loss is caused by inflammation of the middle ear.

Others are permanent, but people with conductive hearing loss can often be helped with hearing aids.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound(s). It can create problems including: sleep difficulties, fatigue, stress, difficulty concentrating, depression and irritability.

Tinnitus can occur in one or both ears, or the head. Many people who suffer from tinnitus describe a ringing, hissing or buzzing, though patients have described hearing many different sounds. Tinnitus allows people to hear sounds that are always present in the auditory system but shouldn't be perceived.

Tinnitus is a symptom that results from a range of possible causes including ear infections, foreign objects or wax buildup, allergies and injuries caused by loud noises.

Tinnitus can be treated using Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. After the therapy, which includes sound enrichment with extensive counseling, patients will no longer be aware of the tinnitus.