H E A LT H
BECOMING HEARING IMPAIRED IS A COMMON CONDITION FOR AGING PEOPLE
H
earing loss is the third
travelling through the outer and
cause problems such as dementia,
most common physical
middle ear.
anxiety and depression.
condition in aging people.
• A conductive hearing loss might
There is nothing more frustrating
be temporary or fluctuating and,
than struggling to hear someone
in many cases, can be treated
MARVELLOUS NEW TECHNOLOGY
speak in a noisy environment.
through medication or surgery.
As with most medical diagnosis,
Sometimes, hearing devices like
the earlier a hearing loss is
hearing aids are recommended
identified and corrected, the
for conductive hearing loss.
more effective the results of the
THREE COMMON TYPES OF HEARING LOSS There are many conditions that
• A mixed hearing loss
affect the functioning of the ear.
is when there is a
Different conditions affect different
disorder in the outer
parts of the ear. Depending on the
and/or middle
location of the abnormality in the
ear as well as in
ear, specific types of hearing loss
the inner ear.
can be identified. The different
Sometimes a
disorders of the ear can be grouped
combination
understands that
into three different types of
of factors
those who suffer
hearing loss: sensorineural (SNHL),
(abnormalities) is
conductive hearing loss and mixed
presented which
hearing loss.
affects both the
• A sensorineural hearing loss
outer or middle and
where the Ear Institute can help. Most people with hearing loss can benefit by wearing hearing aids. The Ear Institute
from hearing loss need one defining function from a hearing device: clear,
means there is a disorder in
the inner ear, resulting
the inner ear. Sensorineural
in a mixed hearing loss.
various situations is important,
hearing loss is a cause of
The treatment might therefore
such as restaurants, family time
deafness located in the cochlea
be a combination of medical or
and driving in your car. You need
due to damage to the inner
surgical treatment and the use
hearing aids that can keep up with
ear or auditory nerve. The
of hearing aids.
your lifestyle.
disorder limits sound traveling
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treatment will be. This is
The consequences of hearing
rich sound. Hearing well in
The Ear Institute offers
from the inner ear to the
loss differ from person to person.
an assortment of discreet,
hearing nerve and brain. A
Most people with a hearing
comfortable hearing aids to suit
sensorineural hearing loss is
impairment can suffer from
every person’s needs and lifestyle.
mostly permanent and requires
some social (e.g. isolation),
The new Marvel multifunctional
the use of hearing devices
psychological (e.g. depression
hearing aid from Phonak, which
like hearing aids or a cochlear
and low self-esteem) and physical
has taken the world by storm,
implant. A conductive hearing
(e.g. loss in balance and risk of
combines modern technology
loss is a disorder in the outer
falling) problems as a result of
with clear, rich sound in various
and/or middle ear. The disorder
their hearing loss. It is especially
listening situations.
limits or prevents sound from
untreated hearing loss that can
SILVER DIGEST // SUMMER 2019
With the holiday season almost
