What are my Options for Hearing Loss Treatment?

There are a variety of options available for hearing loss treatment. People suffering from hearing loss should visit an audiologist in order to fully understand what each option is, and in what scenario it is most effective. Hearing loss can be the result of severe damage to the inner ear, age related damage or a simple case of wax build-up. Each cause has a different treatment.

About 25% of people between the age of 65 and 75 have some age-related hearing loss. After the age of 75, fully three-quarters of the population can expect to suffer from age-related hearing loss. Damage to the ear is cumulative, and the extent of hearing loss depends on a variety of factors. Damage from loud music or occupational exposure -- even decades before -- can catch up with you at this time and cause hearing loss.

Hearing loss treatment for those affected by age related hearing loss is most often a hearing aid. A hearing aid has four components. A small microphone works to gather sound around the wearer. An amplifier makes the sound louder. The earpiece transmits the sound to the ear. A battery is necessary for the hearing aid to work.

There are several styles of hearing aids. Some rest behind the ear, and have a small tube that delivers the amplified sound into the ear canal. Another style fit in the outer ear or in the ear canal itself. It takes some time to become accustomed to a hearing aid. The noise that it delivers is amplified, which makes the sound different than the noise that you are accustomed to.

Hearing loss treatment for people suffering from wax build-up is relatively straightforward. It is a somewhat invasive procedure, however, so it is important to have this treated by a physician. Attempting to remove excessive earwax by yourself can do permanent damage to your ear canal. No matter what method the doctor uses for removing the earwax, the first step is to soften and loosen the wax. He does this by applying several drops of glycerin or mineral oil inside the ear canal.

Once the earwax has had time to soften the doctor can remove it in one of three ways. The first is through flushing. Warm water is gently squirted into the ear. By tipping the head in the opposite direction, the warm water and loosened wax flow out of the ear. The procedure is often repeated several times to ensure that the ear is clean.

The doctor may also remove the loosened wax by scooping. He will use a small curette to scoop out the softened wax. Suctioning relies on a small suction device to remove the loosened wax.

Hearing loss treatment for people with severe damage to their inner ear is often a cochlear implant. This is a surgical intervention. The cochlear implant does the work of the nonfunctioning part of the inner ear. Candidates for cochlear implants should work with an audiologist and ENT, an ear, nose and throat doctor, to learn the risks and benefits of the procedure.