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About hearing impairment

Hearing impairment or hearing loss can be defined by a perceived reduction in your ability to hear. Since our sense of hearing involves the function of several parts of our body, from the outer part of the ear that you can see, into the part of our brain that interprets what we hear, an issue at any point can cause hearing loss.
What is hearing loss?
Millions of people around the world have hearing loss. It often comes on gradually or is caused by repeated exposure to loud noises. At Beltone, our goal is helping the world to hear better, and that includes you and your loved ones. 
hearing care professional checking a patient's ear
Types and causes of hearing loss

Blockage of the ear canal (like wax or a foreign object), defects of the ear drum (like a hole) or issues with the middle part of the ear (like an ear infection or stiffening of the middle ear bones) can hamper the conduction of soundwaves into the inner part of the ear. No surprise then that when a hearing loss is caused by one of these issues, it is termed a conductive hearing loss. In most instances, a conductive hearing loss can be reversed with medical intervention.

Issues with the inner part of the ear (like damage to the hair-like nerve endings) or damage to the hearing nerve itself (like a tumor) or damage to the hearing center of the brain (like due to concussion) will cause a sensorineural type hearing loss. Sensorineural type hearing loss is the most common type. In adults sensorineural type hearing loss more commonly is due to the aging process or noise exposure, both cause damage to the hair-like nerve endings. This type of hearing loss is most often treated with the use of hearing aids.

Check your hearing online
If you are wondering if your hearing is affected you can start by simply taking our Online Hearing Screening. In under 5 minutes the screening will help you assess your hearing and detect a potential hearing problem, allowing you to decide if you'd like a comprehensive hearing consultation with a Beltone hearing care professional. 
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the name for the perception of sounds, such as ringing in your ears, buzzing or hissing, when these sounds are not present in the environment. Although the tinnitus sounds can be perceived as quite loud, objective measurements show that they are often fainter than the sound of a leaf falling to the ground. Explore this section to learn more about Tinnitus.
What should I do if I suspect a hearing loss?
If you suspect you have a hearing loss, ignoring or neglecting it can make it worse*. However, treating a hearing loss with hearing aids helps improve listening ability as well as many aspects of quality of life**. Schedule a free hearing consultation with your nearest Beltone hearing care professional as soon as possible.
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Your tailored hearing solution
The Beltone portfolio of hearing aids offers something for everyone, meeting your individual needs and budget.
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*Source: National Institute on Aging: Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults

**Source: European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers’ Association (EHIMA) (2018). JapanTrak2018 (PowerPoint slides). Retrieved Aug 6, 2019 from https://www.ehima.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/JAPAN_Trak18.pdf.
Ferguson, M. A., Kitterick, P. T., Chong, L. Y., Edmondson‐Jones, M., Barker, F., & Hoare, D. J. (2017). Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9). retrieved from https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012023.pub2/full