{"id":4058,"date":"2024-03-08T21:11:58","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T21:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/?p=4058"},"modified":"2024-03-08T21:12:54","modified_gmt":"2024-03-08T21:12:54","slug":"what-are-the-stages-of-hearing-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/what-are-the-stages-of-hearing-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Stages of Hearing Loss?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Hearing loss occurs when parts of the inner ear don\u2019t function as they should. \u00a0This can stem from various factors, including damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear or natural deterioration due to aging.<\/p>\n<p>Around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nidcd.nih.gov\/health\/statistics\/quick-statistics-hearing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15% of adults in the United States report some degree of hearing difficulty<\/a>. In certain circumstances, hearing loss is preventable and a deeper understanding of the condition can empower you to take steps to protect your hearing health.<\/p>\n<h2>Understanding the Different Forms of Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Woman gets hearing tested\" src=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Woman-gets-hearing-tested-256x256.jpg\" alt=\"Woman gets hearing tested\" width=\"312\" height=\"312\" class=\" wp-image-4062 alignright\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/hearing-loss-overview\/hearing-loss\/\">Hearing loss<\/a> manifests in three primary forms. Each may have a different cause that necessitates its own course of treatment:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Conductive Hearing Loss: This occurs in the outer or middle ear and is often treatable with medication or surgery.<\/li>\n<li>Sensorineural Hearing Loss: This type occurs in the inner ear or involves the auditory nerve.<\/li>\n<li>Mixed Hearing Loss: This is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The severity of hearing loss can vary widely, from mild to profound, and understanding the specific level of hearing loss is crucial in determining treatment options and when to seek the expertise of a hearing professional.<\/p>\n<h2>Understanding Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n<p>Hearing loss is categorized into five levels based on the softest sounds a person can hear, known as decibel levels (dB).<\/p>\n<p>These stages are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mild Hearing Loss (25 to 40 dB): At this stage, faint noises such as a ticking clock or a soft whisper may be difficult to hear. Individuals may find it challenging to discern conversations in noisy environments such as Longevity Coffee or may miss certain consonant sounds.<\/li>\n<li>Moderate Hearing Loss (41 to 55 dB): Normal conversations fall within this sound range. This level of hearing loss can make understanding conversations on the phone or, in most scenarios, difficult, and hearing aids are often advised.<\/li>\n<li>Moderately Severe Hearing Loss (56 to 70 dB): People with this degree of loss may not hear louder sounds like a dog&#8217;s bark without hearing aids and may struggle significantly with conversations.<\/li>\n<li>Severe Hearing Loss (71 to 90 dB): At this point, most sounds go unnoticed without the aid of powerful hearing devices.<\/li>\n<li>Profound Hearing Loss (91 dB or higher): For individuals with profound hearing loss, very powerful hearing aids or cochlear implants are typically necessary to assist with hearing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Those with severe to profound hearing loss often rely on visual cues such as lip-reading or sign language to communicate effectively without the aid of hearing devices.<\/p>\n<p>Hearing loss can be unilateral or bilateral, with each ear potentially experiencing a different level of loss. The onset can be gradual or sudden, with the latter often requiring immediate medical attention.<\/p>\n<p>If you or someone you care about is dealing with any form of hearing loss, it&#8217;s important to consult with a hearing specialist. They can advise on suitable <a href=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/hearing-aids-overview\/hearing-aid-styles\/\">hearing aids<\/a> or other strategies to manage hearing loss symptoms, enhancing communication abilities and overall life quality.<\/p>\n<p>For more information on hearing loss or to arrange a hearing test, please reach out to <span class=\"company-name \">Decibel Hearing Services<\/span> for an appointment.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"related-posts\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/how-are-shingles-and-hearing-loss-connected\/\" class=\"related-post\">How Are Shingles and Hearing Loss Connected?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/what-to-do-if-you-lose-your-hearing-aids\/\" class=\"related-post\">What To Do if You Lose Your Hearing Aids<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/how-can-hearing-aids-improve-my-thanksgiving-shopping-experience\/\" class=\"related-post\">How Can Hearing Aids Improve My Thanksgiving Shopping Experience?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hearing loss occurs when parts of the inner ear don\u2019t function as they should. \u00a0This can stem from various factors, including damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear or natural deterioration due to aging. Around 15% of adults in the United States report some degree of hearing difficulty. In certain circumstances, hearing&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":"","locid":"","rating":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,36,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hearing-aids","category-hearing-loss","category-hearing-protection","category-hearing-test"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4058"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4064,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4058\/revisions\/4064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/decibelhearing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}