Is Hearing Loss Reversible?

Older man staring out of the window wondering is his hearing will come back

How Your Body Rebounds From Injury and Sickness

The human body generally has the ability to recuperate from cuts, scrapes, and fractured bones, although the recovery process could vary in duration depending on the injury.
Sadly, there is no cure for the fragile hair cells in your ears once they are damaged.
Up to this point, at least.
Animals have the ability to renew damaged cilia in their ears, restoring their hearing, a characteristic that researchers are presently attempting to reproduce in humans.
That means you might have an irreversible loss of hearing if you damage the hearing nerve or those tiny hairs.

When is Hearing Loss Permanent?

Upon identifying hearing loss, the first concern that usually arises is whether the hearing will be restored.
It is uncertain if it will happen, as it is dependent on various elements.

There are two fundamental types of hearing loss:

  • Obstruction-based hearing loss: When there’s something obstructing your ear canal, you can experience all the symptoms of hearing loss.
    Earwax, debris, and irregular growths can potentially block the ear canal.
    The good news is, your hearing typically recovers as soon as the blockage is removed.
  • Damage-related hearing loss: A more prevalent form of hearing loss, responsible for approximately 90 percent of all instances, is caused by damage rather than other variables.
    Known clinically as sensorineural hearing loss, this form of hearing loss is often permanent.
    The hearing process is activated by the impact of moving air on tiny hairs in the ear which transmit sound waves to the brain.
    These vibrations are then changed, by your brain, into signals that you perceive as sound.
    Prolonged exposure to loud noises can, however, lead to permanent damage to your hearing.
    Sensorineural hearing loss can also be caused by injury to the inner ear or nerve.
    A cochlear implant can help reestablish hearing in some cases of hearing loss, especially in extreme cases.

A hearing examination can assist in identifying if hearing aids would improve your ability to hear.

Treatment of Hearing Loss

There is presently no cure for sensorineural hearing loss.
But it may be possible to get effective treatment.
Advantages of correct treatment for your well-being:

  • Preserve a good general standard of living and well-being.
  • Effectively manage any of the symptoms of hearing loss you might be suffering from.
  • Maintain and safeguard the hearing you still have.
  • Maintain connections and community participation to avoid feelings of isolation and solitude.
  • Prevent cognitive degeneration.

The kind of treatment you obtain for your hearing loss will differ depending on the severity of the problem.
One of the most prevalent treatment solutions is rather simple: hearing aids.

What Part do Hearing Aids Play in Dealing With Hearing Loss?

People who have hearing loss can use hearing aids to help them perceive sounds, allowing them to work as efficiently as possible.
Fatigue happens when the brain needs to work harder to process sound.
Researchers have come to recognize that extended mental inactivity presents a significant risk to cognitive health, as new findings shed light on the value of ongoing mental stimulation.
Hearing aids help you restore your cognitive function by allowing your ears to hear again.
Studies have shown that using hearing aids can considerably slow cognitive decline, with some research suggesting a reduction of up to 75%.
Modern hearing aids enable you to concentrate on particular sounds you want to hear while minimizing background noise.

The Best Protection is Prevention

If you take away one thing from this little lesson, hopefully, it’s this: you need to safeguard the hearing you have because you can’t depend on recuperating from hearing loss. Certainly, if you get something lodged in your ear canal, you can most likely have it removed.
But that doesn’t decrease the danger posed by loud sounds that you may not think are loud enough to be all that harmful.
That’s why making the effort to protect your ears is a smart plan.
If you are ever diagnosed with hearing loss in the future, you will have more treatment possibilities if you take steps to protect your hearing now.
Getting treatment can allow you to lead a fulfilling life, even if total recovery is not achievable.
To determine what your best option is, make an appointment with our hearing care experts.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Questions? Talk To Us.





    Dr. Laura Padham, Audiologist

    Ocean Gate, NJ

    143 W Barnegat Avenue
    Ocean Gate, NJ 08740

    Mobile Services in:Ocean, Monmouth, Middlesex, Somerset, Union, Essex, Hudson, Bergen, Passaic, Atlantic, Mercer, and Burlington Counties.

    Call or Text: 848-266-5119

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