Canadian Hard of Hearing Association - B.C. Chapter

A person is defined as being hard of hearing when his or her hearing loss ranges from mild to profound and when his or her usual means of communication is speech.

There many reasons why a person loses his or hearing. It can be either genetic, environmental, disease, medication, physical trauma or old age.

Genetic: Hearing loss can be inherited. Both the dominant and recessive genes exists to cause mild to profound hearing loss and it may or may not be passed down to his or her offspring.
Environmental: Long term loud noises can cause your hearing to degrade. Such noises can be working in a factory plant, attending loud concert, and personal electronic devices such as IPODs.
Diseases: There are many diseases out there that can affect the hearing. Such diseases may include mumps, autoimmune disorders, AIDS, meningtis, premature birth and fetal alcohol syndrome
Medications: Some medications such as various types of antibotics can cause irreversible damage to the ear, and are limited in their use for this reason.
Physical Trauma: Childhood abuse victims and those with brain injuries are very vulnerable to expect hearing loss.
Old Age: As we get into senior years, we tend to lose some hearing.

There are three types of hearing loss: neural/sensorineural, conductive, or a combination of both.

Neural/Sensorineural: This type of hearing loss is caused by damage/malfunction of the inner ear or auditory brainstem
Conductive: This type of hearing loss is caused by damage/malfunction of the middle or outer ear system
Combination: Mixed hearing loss includes sensorineural and conductive causes

Depending on the severity and the complexity of hearing loss, hearing aids or coclear implants are usually the best treatment options to provide some function in ability to communicate and interact with friends, family, co-workers or other social settings. It does not cure your hearing and it is not perfect, but managing your hearing loss well can be beneficial to you and to another person through speechreading and body language.

How Do You Know if You have Hearing Loss?

You may be losing your hearing when you:

have to turn the volume up on the television set
think everyone else is mumbling
ask people to repeat themselves
find whispers impossible to hear
avoid social situations because of the strain of trying to hear

See your family doctor for a hearing test.

Get a hearing aid if one is recommended. Many people find it of great benefit, though a hearing aid can only amplify the sounds, not provide lost hearing.

If you have lost all your hearing enquire about cochlear implants.
Take a coping skills or speech reading course.

Join the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) nationally and locally for further information on assistive listening devices, advocacy and self-help support.