Understanding hearing loss

How we hear

Hearing is the process of sound travelling through the outer, middle and inner ear. Once sound enters the ear, it is interpreted by the brain. Each part of the ear plays a critical role in transmitting sound to the brain.

• Outer ear – the visible part of the ear (the pinna) and ear canal.
• Middle ear – the ear drum and three tiny, connected bones (ossicles), often called the hammer, anvil and stirrup.
• Inner ear – the snail-shaped cochlea and the hearing nerve, as well as the semi-circular canals that help with balance.

Natural hearing relies on all three parts of the ear working together. If any one of these parts is not working properly, it may result in hearing loss.

Signs of hearing loss in adults

When hearing loss occurs gradually, it's not always easy to tell if it's getting worse. These are some of the common signs and symptoms of hearing loss to look for:

• You have trouble hearing conversations in noisy places.
• You often ask people to repeat themselves.
• You struggle to hear conversations on the phone.
• You can't hear the sounds of nature like rain falling or birds chirping.
• You have a persistent ringing or buzzing sound in your ear (tinnitus).

Suddenly losing your hearing

Sudden hearing loss can happen at any age, can happen immediately or over the course of a few days, most commonly in one ear. If you experience sudden hearing loss, you should be seen by a doctor immediately. There are several possible causes, including medication, illness or trauma.

Signs of hearing loss in children

A child’s hearing loss is usually picked up through testing soon after birth. At other times, it may be more difficult to identify, especially if they are not yet talking. Here are some of the possible early signs to look for.

Infants and toddlers with hearing loss may:

• Show no reaction to loud sounds
• Not seek out where sound is coming from
• Babble without progressing to more understandable speech

School-age children with hearing loss may:

• Have difficulty following conversations
• Relies on lip-reading
• Fall behind with speech or communication skills

What to do if you think your child has hearing loss

If you’re concerned your child may have hearing loss, speak to your doctor first. They can perform an initial examination and may refer you to a hearing health professional for further testing.

If traditional hearing aids can't help your child, they may benefit from other hearing solutions, such as cochlear implants and bone conduction implants.

Learn more about important milestones in your child's hearing journey and receive guidance along the way.

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Degrees of hearing loss

Understanding the different degrees of hearing loss will help you when exploring treatment options. For example, while hearing aids may be suitable for someone with mild to moderate hearing loss, hearing implants may be better for someone with moderate to profound hearing loss.

Mild hearing loss
You may be able to hear speech, but find some soft sounds hard to hear, such as whispers or the consonants on the end of words like "shoes" or "fish".

Moderate hearing loss
You may hear someone speaking at a normal level, but have difficulty understanding what is being said. You might hear vowels in a sentence, but miss consonants, making speech harder to understand.

Severe hearing loss
You may hear little or no speech at a normal speaking level and only some loud sounds. Very loud sounds, such as a car horn, may not startle you in the same way as someone with normal hearing.

Profound hearing loss
You don't hear any speech - only very loud sounds - and you feel the vibrations of only the loudest of sounds.

How hearing loss is measured with an audiogram

To assess your hearing, you may undergo a hearing test. The audiogram is a chart that helps to diagnose the degree and type of hearing loss by mapping hearing test results. It highlights the softest sounds you can hear at different frequencies and pitches. A sample audiogram is shown below.

• Pictures and letters show a normal hearing range at different volume and pitch levels - from a whisper to a plane.
• The area where the ability to hear and understand speech is mapped is known as the ‘speech banana’.
• Volume (intensity) is measured in decibels (dB), and marked from top to bottom with softer sounds at the top.
• Pitch (frequency) is measured in hertz (Hz), and marked from left to right with each vertical line showing a different frequency of sound.
• A blue X line (left ear) and red O line (right ear) show the results for an air conduction hearing test results.
• A blue > line (left ear) and a red < line (right ear) show the results of a bone conduction hearing test results.

If your audiogram shows hearing loss, your hearing health professional will explain your results and discuss suitable hearing loss treatment options.

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Take the next step

If you think you or your loved one has hearing loss, it’s important you take action as soon as possible. Visiting a hearing health professional experienced in advanced hearing solutions will help ensure you find the right hearing treatment for your needs.

Depending on the results and your individual needs, there may be treatment options available for you. These may include hearing aids or hearing implants.

Hearing specialists near you