Is Hearing Loss Reversible?

Older man staring out of the window wondering is his hearing will come back

The Recovery Capability of Your Body

The human body can usually repair scratches, cuts, and broken bones, though some injuries take longer than others.
But you’re out of luck when it pertains to repairing the tiny little hairs in your ears.
At least so far.
Animals can repair damage to the hair cells in their ears and get their hearing back, but people don’t have that ability (though scientists are tackling it).
That means you may have an irreversible loss of hearing if you damage the hearing nerve or those little hairs.

At What Point Does Hearing Loss Become Irreversible?

Upon identifying hearing loss, the initial concern that usually arises is whether the hearing will be restored.
Whether it will or not is dependent on a variety of things.

Two primary kinds of hearing loss:

  • Blockage-related hearing impairment: If your ear canal is partially or totally obstructed, it can mirror the symptoms of hearing loss.
    Debris, earwax, and growths are a few of the things that can cause a blockage.
    Your hearing generally returns to normal after the obstruction is cleared, and that’s the good news.
  • Hearing loss caused by damage: But there’s another, more prevalent kind of hearing loss that represents around 90 percent of hearing loss.
    This specific type of hearing loss, known as sensorineural hearing loss in scientific terms, is usually irreversible.
    Here’s the way it works: tiny hairs in your ear vibrate when struck with moving air (sound waves).
    These vibrations are then modified, by your brain, into signals that you perceive as sound.
    But your hearing can, over time, be permanently harmed by loud noises.
    Sensorineural hearing loss can also be triggered by damage to the inner ear or nerve.
    A cochlear implant can help reestablish hearing in some instances of hearing loss, particularly in severe cases.

A hearing exam can assist in identifying if hearing aids would enhance your hearing ability.

Solutions for Improving Your Hearing

Sensorineural hearing loss presently can’t be cured.
Treatment for your hearing loss may, however, be a possibility.
The following are some ways that getting the correct treatment can help you:

  • Maintain a good total standard of living and well-being.
  • Successfully deal with any of the symptoms of hearing loss you may be suffering from.
  • Take care of your remaining hearing to stop additional damage.
  • Maintain relations and community involvement to avoid feelings of loneliness and solitude.
  • Prevent cognitive decline.

This treatment can take many forms, and it’ll usually be dependent on how extreme your hearing loss is.
A frequently recommended and relatively straightforward solution is the use of hearing aids.

What Part do Hearing Aids Play in Managing Hearing Loss?

Individuals going through hearing loss can use hearing aids to detect sounds which will allow them to function more effectively.
Fatigue is the result when the brain strains to hear.
Researchers have come to realize that prolonged mental inactivity presents a substantial risk to cognitive health, as new discoveries clarify the importance of ongoing mental stimulation.
Your mental function can start to be recovered by utilizing hearing aids because they help your ears hear again.
As a matter of fact, using hearing aids has been shown to slow mental decline by as much as 75%.
Cutting-edge hearing aids enable you to focus in on particular sounds you want to hear while minimizing background noise.

Prevention is The Best Defence

Maintaining your hearing is crucial as once it’s gone, it’s usually permanent. Certainly, if you get something stuck in your ear canal, you can probably have it removed.
But that doesn’t reduce the danger posed by loud noises that you might not think are loud enough to be all that harmful.
So taking measures to protect your hearing is a good plan.
The better you protect your hearing now, the more treatment potential you’ll have when and if you are eventually diagnosed with hearing loss.
Getting treatment can allow you to live a fulfilling life, even if complete recovery is not achievable.
Speak with our professional audiologist to determine the most suitable solution for your specific hearing requirements.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.