Is Hearing Loss Reversible?

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

The Healing Capacity of Your Body

The human body can usually heal scratches, cuts, and broken bones, though some injuries take longer than others.
But you’re out of luck when it concerns restoring the little hairs in your ears.
Up to this point, at least.
Animals have the capacity to regenerate damaged cilia in their ears, recovering their hearing, a trait that scientists are presently trying to replicate in humans.
If you harm the hearing nerves or the tiny hairs, you could experience irreversible hearing loss.

At What Point Does Hearing Loss Become Permanent?

The first thing you think of when you learn you have hearing loss is whether it will return.
It is uncertain if it will happen, as it is dependent on numerous factors.

Two primary kinds of hearing loss:

  • Blockage-related hearing loss: If your ear canal is partly or totally obstructed, it can mimic the symptoms of hearing loss.
    Debris, earwax, and growths are some of the things that can cause an obstruction.
    Your hearing normally returns to normal after the blockage is eliminated, and that’s the good news.
  • Damage-related hearing loss: A more prevalent form of hearing impairment, responsible for roughly 90 percent of all instances, is caused by damage instead of other variables.
    Clinically known as sensorineural hearing loss, this form of hearing loss is often irreversible.
    The hearing process is activated by the impact of moving air on tiny hairs in the ear which send sound waves to the brain.
    Your brain changes these vibrations into auditory signals that are perceived by you as sound.
    Prolonged exposure to loud noises can, however, lead to permanent damage to your hearing.
    Injury to the inner ear or nerve can also cause sensorineural hearing loss.
    In certain instances of extreme hearing loss, a cochlear implant may have the ability to enhance hearing function.

A hearing evaluation will help you identify whether hearing aids will help improve your hearing.

Treatment of Hearing Loss

There is presently no cure for sensorineural hearing loss.
But it might be possible to obtain effective treatment.
Benefits of proper treatment for your wellness:

  • Make sure your overall quality of life is unaffected or remains high.
  • Successfully manage any of the symptoms of hearing loss you might be experiencing.
  • Maintain and safeguard the hearing you still have.
  • Keep solitude away by staying socially engaged.
  • Prevent cognitive degeneration.

The kind of treatment you receive for your hearing loss will vary depending on the extent of the issue.
One of the most common treatment solutions is rather simple: hearing aids.

What Part do Hearing Aids Play in Managing Hearing Loss?

Individuals going through hearing loss can utilize hearing aids to detect sounds which will allow them to function more effectively.
Fatigue is the consequence when the brain struggles to hear.
Scientists have come to realize that extended mental inactivity presents a significant danger to cognitive health, as new findings shed light on the value of ongoing mental stimulation.
Your mental function can start to be recovered by utilizing hearing aids because they let your ears hear again.
Studies have shown that using hearing aids can dramatically slow cognitive impairment, with some research indicating a reduction of up to 75%.
Modern hearing aids will also allow you to focus on what you want to hear while tuning out background sounds.

The Best Protection is Prevention

If you take away one thing from this article, 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 stuck in your ear canal, you can probably have it removed.
However, this doesn’t lessen the risk posed by high-volume sounds, which can be damaging even if they don’t seem overly loud to you.
So taking steps to protect your hearing is a wise decision.
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 today.
Getting treatment can enable you to lead a fulfilling life, even if total recovery is not achievable.
Speak with our expert audiologist to determine the most practical solution for your unique hearing requirements.

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?