| Degree of hearing loss
Hearing loss varies in degree from mild to profound and is measured in units called decibels, at different sound frequencies known as hertz. A loss up to 20 decibels is considered normal, while anything over 20 decibels is deemed abnormal.
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| Diagnosing hearing loss
Hearing loss is often a gradual process and can become quite severe before a person will seek help. Signs of hearing loss include: difficulty understanding spoken words, spoken word sounds slurred or mumbled, a continual hissing or ringing noise in the ear, and an inability to hear common sounds like a dripping faucet.
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| Hearing loss in children
Did you know that babies hear sounds from the moment they're born? Babies use these sounds to recognize the voices of parents and loved ones as well as to begin responding to speech.
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| How you hear
Hearing is the external sense that enables you to perceive sound. The organ of hearing is the ear -comprised of the inner, the middle and the outer ears.
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| Screening tests
Hearing tests are administered by a trained audiologist and are used to determine whether a person has a hearing loss, how bad the loss is and what part of the ear may be causing the problem.
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| Signs of hearing loss
Do you often ask people to repeat themselves? Do you have trouble understanding women and children's voices? Do voices over the telephone sound muffled or distant? Do you hear popping or ringing in one or both ears? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have hearing loss.
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| Speaking to someone who is hearing impaired
If you know someone who's hearing impaired, there are several strategies you can employ to make communicating easier for both of you. A good way to initiate a conversation with hearing-impaired individuals is to attract their attention by entering into their field of vision.
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| What is an audiogram?
An audiogram is one of the most effective methods for measuring a person's ability to hear pure tones in each ear. It's especially useful in determining whether hearing loss is the result of a mechanical problem with the ear, called conductive hearing loss, or a malfunction involving sound transmission to the brain, called sensorineural (SINSOR-NYURAL) hearing loss.
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| What is an audiologist?
Audiology is the study of hearing. More specifically, an audiologist is a specialist with the training and skills to evaluate the hearing of people of all ages--adults, children, and even newborns.
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| Why choose an audiologist?
If you or someone you know is having problems hearing, you should consider visiting an audiologist. An audiologist is a specialist with the training and skills to evaluate the hearing of people of all ages--adults, children, and even newborns.
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