Mild hearing loss may not sound like a big deal, but experts consider anything between 25-40dB to be mild hearing loss. If you don’t know if you have hearing loss or not, then there are ways for you to find out, so you can seek the right support.

About mild hearing loss

Those who have hearing loss can usually hear speech when someone is close to them, or if the surrounding room is very quiet. They can also hear people when they are speaking at volume as well.  They also feel as though people are mumbling quite a lot of the time, or that their ears are constantly blocked up. If you suspect that you have hearing loss, then you may struggle when there is competing sound signals. This can include noise and speech together. Those who have mild hearing loss also feel as though they have a lot of wax in their ears, and that if they could just clear it out, they would be able to hear fine.

Understanding consonants

Some consonants, namely f, s, k and sh are very soft. Those who have mild hearing loss may find it difficult to understand sounds like this. This could lead them to thinking that people are not speaking very clearly or that they are mumbling. The truth is though that it is the hearing system that is struggling to pick up on some of the softer sounds, and this is causing the issue. The great news is that even those who have mild hearing loss can benefit from having a hearing aid. When you have a hearing aid, you can then understand the softer sounds and you can also understand speech more when there are competing signals.

In the past, so many people did not even think about treating mild hearing loss because at the time it was not considered to be a huge deal. Things are changing now though; research is currently being conducted and it shows that treating hearing loss can prevent even more atrophy of the hearing system. Studies have also shown that hearing aids can slow down the level of cognitive decline in older people.

What causes hearing loss?

There really are so many reasons why you may receive a diagnosis of hearing loss. Sometimes, you may be able to completely reverse your hearing loss if you undergo the right treatment. Noise exposure and aging are the most common causes of hearing loss. An excess amount of earwax, or cerumen is also another cause. If you believe that this is the culprit then it may be worth trying to use an OTC solution. This is normally available at most stores. If this does not happen to resolve the situation then you may need to have the build-up removed by a professional. Remember, you should never put cotton swabs or anything else in your ear canal. This can compact the wax and it puts you at risk of puncturing your eardrum.

Ear infections

It’s also possible that you have had an ear infection, if you are struggling with your hearing. Children tend to experience a lot more ear infections when compared to adults, but, they can still occur. If you have earache that is accompanied by discharge or a fever, then you need to seek the help of a professional right away.

Other conditions

Other conditions include bone abnormalities in the middle of the ear. If the small bones in the middle of the ear do not happen to be doing their job properly then your inner ear won’t be able to get the signals it needs to transmit sound properly. Other conditions which can cause mild hearing loss include acoustic neuromas, Meniere’s disease and head trauma. If your hearing loss comes and goes then this is most likely a build-up of wax, but if it tends to be on a more permanent basis then this would signify a deeper issue.

If you are not sure if you are experiencing hearing loss or not, then it would be wise for you to contact Sound Choice Hearing. When you do, we can then give you the help and support you need to get to the bottom of the problem while also helping you to know what options there are out there. If you do need a hearing aid, then we can work with you to make sure that you get a hearing device suited to your needs. Want to find out more? Call us today at (505) 565-7960.