Understanding hearing loss — and what you can do about it.
Hearing loss develops gradually for most people, so signs are easy to miss. The earlier we find it, the more we can do.
What causes hearing loss?
A number of factors can damage hearing — some are everyday and preventable, others are genetic or medical.
- Aging (presbycusis) — the most common cause
- Noise exposure from work, recreation, or sudden loud events
- Ear infections (acute or chronic)
- Excessive earwax blocking the canal
- Trauma to the ear or head
- Genetics & birth defects
- Medical conditions like otosclerosis or Ménière's
- Ototoxic medications that damage the inner ear
The three types of hearing loss
Sensorineural
Damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or auditory nerve. Permanent and the most common form — typically managed with hearing aids.
Conductive
Sound can't reach the inner ear because of a problem in the outer or middle ear. Often medically or surgically treatable.
Mixed
A combination of sensorineural and conductive loss. Treatment depends on which component is dominant.
Single-sided deafness (SSD)
Single-sided deafness — also called unilateral hearing loss — is when one ear has hearing loss while the other hears normally. It's diagnosed in about 60,000 Americans each year.
While there's no cure and traditional amplification is less effective, alternative treatment options like CROS hearing aids and bone-anchored devices can dramatically improve everyday hearing.
- Difficulty locating where sounds come from
- Trouble understanding speech in noisy environments
- Fatigue from straining to listen
- Avoiding social situations
10 signs you might have hearing loss
Hearing loss isn't always easy to detect — your brain learns to adapt, so symptoms develop quietly. Here's what to look for.
People around you seem to mumble.
You ask others to repeat themselves often.
You turn the TV up louder than your family wants.
You struggle to follow conversations in restaurants.
Phone calls feel harder than they used to.
You hear ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) in your ears.
You miss high-pitched sounds — birds, doorbells, alarms.
You feel exhausted after social gatherings.
You avoid situations where you'll need to listen.
Family or friends mention your hearing seems off.
If you're nodding to two or three, it's time to test.
The Elevate Hearing Pathway™ goes far beyond beeps and tones. We measure how you actually hear in real-life environments, then build a plan around what matters most to you.
