You At Your Best

By Sarah haNey NWa Democrat-Gazette Our sense of hearing allows us to communicate with one another by receiving sounds and interpreting speech. Hearing helps with collecting information that can be vital to survival. If a train is approaching, our sense of hearing can alert us to the danger and enable us to get out of harm's way. Hearing is often considered the most important sense for humans. There are several qualities our hearing system will pick up when working effectively. We can sense where a sound is coming from (location), its pitch, and its loudness. Our hearing system has the ability to separate complex sounds into tones or frequencies allowing us to follow different voices or instruments as we listen to conversations or to music. In the United States, one in eight people (13 percent, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations. Hearing loss (also known as hearing impairment) is the partial or total inability to hear. There are four commonly recognized categories of hearing loss which include: • Mild hearing loss — People who suffer from mild hearing loss have some difficulties keeping up with conversations, especially in noisy surroundings. The most quiet sounds, on average, a person with mild hearing loss can hear are between 25 and 40 dB. • Moderate hearing loss — People who suffer from moderate hearing loss have difficulty keeping up with conversations when not using a hearing aid. The most quiet sounds, on average, a person with moderate hearing loss can hear are between 40 and 70 dB. • Severe hearing loss — People who suffer from severe hearing loss will benefit from powerful hearing aids, but often they rely heavily on lip-reading even when they are using hearing aids. Some also use sign language. The most quiet sounds, on average, a person with severe hearing loss can hear are between 70 and 95 dB. • Profound hearing loss — People who suffer from profound hearing loss are very hard of hearing and rely mostly on lip-reading and/or sign language. The most quiet sounds, on average, a person with profound hearing loss can hear are from 95 dB or more. There are three main types of hearing loss that fit within the four categories: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss involves problems conducting sound waves along the route through the outer ear, eardrum, or middle ear. The root cause of sensorineural hearing loss lies in the inner ear, sensory organ, or vestibulocochlear nerve. Mixed hearing loss is the combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing losses. Hearing loss may be caused by various factors including: infections, exposure to noise, genetics, aging, birth complications, trauma to the ear, toxins, and some medications. Chronic ear infections are also a common source of hearing loss. Some hearing loss can be prevented by: • Immunization. • Proper care during pregnancy. • Avoiding loud noise. • Avoiding use of certain medications. Identifying hearing loss early and treating it is important, especially in children. Hearing aids, sign language, lip-reading, and cochlear implants are all effective aids of hearing loss or impairment. If you suspect you have a hearing impairment, it is vital to speak with an audiologist. Audiologists are healthcare professionals specializing in identifying, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring disorders of the auditory and vestibular system portions of the ear. The Sense of Hearing SATURdAY, JUnE 30, 2018, 2018 | ThE 5 SEnSES - JUlY nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST | YOU AT YOUR BEST | 15

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