According to an estimate, approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States have some degree of hearing loss, making it one of the most common sensory processing disorders.
While hearing loss is common in seniors, it can affect all ages, genders, ethnicities, and races. In children, it is one of the most common congenital disabilities. Because hearing loss happens gradually, you might not even notice you’re losing your hearing.
Let’s talk about some common signs of hearing loss you can look out for, how to prevent hearing loss, and where you can go for comprehensive ENT care in Georgetown, TX.
Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
You may notice the following common signs of hearing loss:
- Asking people to repeat themselves
- Can’t hear any high-pitched sound like a bird chirping
- Can’t follow a conversation, especially on a phone
- Think other people are mumbling
- Need to always turn up the volume of the radio or television
- Trouble hearing consonants
- Difficulty understanding words against background noise
- Withdrawal from conversations
- Ringing in ear
- Pain in ear
- A pressure or fluid sensation inside the ear
- Difficulty maintaining balance
- Dizziness
In children, the signs of hearing loss you can look out for include:
- Not turning towards you when you say child’s name
- Not responding to all sounds but some
- Speech delays
- Not startling at loud noises
- Saying “huh” most of the time
How to Prevent Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss can be effectively treated by a professional ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor and audiologist. However, there are also some ways to protect yourself from hearing loss, especially noise-related hearing loss and worsening of age-related hearing loss. You can protect your hearing by:
- Protecting your ears – You must limit the duration and intensity of your exposure to loud sounds and noise. For this, you can use glycerin-filled earmuffs or plastic earplugs.
- Have your hearing regularly tested – Regular hearing tests are vital to prevent hearing loss if you work in a noisy environment.
- Avoiding recreational risks – Some activities, such as riding a snowmobile, listening to rock concerts, hunting, and using power tools, can damage your ear gradually. So, you must prevent your hearing loss by wearing hearing protectors during such activities or taking a break from such activities.
Hearing Loss Treatment at Georgetown Hearing Center
If you think you or your child is having trouble hearing and seek treatment from a hearing loss specialist, look no further than our ENT doctor and audiologists at Georgetown ENT. Our experts will perform a comprehensive evaluation which includes a balance test and hearing test, and find out the cause of your hearing loss. They will also rule out other conditions that may be causing your hearing loss, such as earwax buildup, ear infection, etc.
After confirming the diagnosis, we will suggest treatment options to address your hearing problem.
