How is Sensorineural Hearing Loss Treated?

There are a lot of different hearing issues that people can experience. One example is sensorineural hearing loss, which occurs when the inner ear or the nerves that transfer sounds from the ear to the brain are damaged. While there are some ways to manage the condition, as we’ll see below, there is not yet a permanent cure. People that have sensorineural hearing loss can find that even loud noises can sound distorted and quieter. Though sometimes the condition develops over time, at others it can happen suddenly. There are various causes of sensorineural hearing loss. The most common cause is genera aging; indeed, this is the cause of most hearing issues. Other causes include exposure to loud noises, like at concerts or working sites. Genetic conditions can also be responsible, as can side effects from certain medications and treatments for cancer.

Correct diagnosis

Before you begin thinking about treatment for the condition, it’s important first that you’re correctly diagnosed. One of the primary issues with sensorineural hearing loss is that it’s not always diagnosed correctly, especially if it occurs in its sudden form. There are usually no other symptoms other than the loss of hearing, so it can be difficult for general practitioners to identify. For this reason, it’s important that you’re working with the right hearing care professional. They can help you to diagnose the condition correctly, and they will also have the expertise required to offer treatment options. You can have a strong understanding if this is the condition that you’ve got by looking at your symptoms. If you have trouble following conversations, understanding announcements over loudspeakers, or you’ve noticed that you are generally finding it difficult to hear all noises, especially high-pitched noises, then you’ll want to get checked out by a specialist.

Treatment

Though there are no long-term cures for this condition, it’s not something that you just need to accept. There are many different ways that you can alleviate the effects of the experience. How you go about handling the condition will depend on the severity of the case and how long you’ve had the issue. Generally, treatment will be mixed into a few different categories: early treatment, technological solutions, and handling the lifestyle impacts of the loss of hearing.

Get Help Early

If the condition appears suddenly, then it’s important that you present yourself at your nearest hospital. If the diagnosis has been called correctly, then you’ll be given a high dose of strength. While it’s uncommon for this method to restore hearing completely, it is a way to restore some of the hearing that has been lost. For this reason, it’s imperative that you’re working with a specialist — they’ll know how to spring into action and begin treatment as soon as possible because they know that time is a factor. If you’re given steroids, you’ll need to have a few weeks to recover, and sometimes a repeat dose will be recommended.

Solutions

As we mentioned earlier, there is no available “cure” for this condition. But there are solutions that can make living with hearing loss more manageable. It’s really important that you’re working with a specialist, as they can help you to understand your condition better and also offer a wide range of hearing devices that’ll make listening easier. There are a lot of different hearing aids available, including in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC) and behind-the-ear (BTE) devices. Your specialist can help you to understand the pros and cons of each different device and make their recommendation. BTE hearing aids, for example, are generally considered to be the most powerful, but they are typically larger than the other available devices.

Lifestyle

As well as devices, there are some lifestyle adjustments you can make that will make living with hearing loss more manageable. For example, you may consider learning how to lip read — this will allow you to follow conversations in areas where your hearing aid may not work as well, such as in loud or windy spaces. You’ll also want to work on handling your emotional reaction to the change; sometimes, the impact of having to experience a grand change can be just as damaging as the loss of hearing itself. If you have this condition, then it’s important that you’re working with an expert that has the knowledge and experience required to perform treatment at the highest level. Contact The Hearing Guy office at (828) 333-5781 to find out more about your options.