Becca Rancourt, Au.D. CCC-A

A: There are two categories of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is the result of damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve and is usually permanent. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound waves are unable to reach the inner ear. It's typically able to be resolved by surgery or medical treatment.

In general, hearing loss is caused by damage to the inner ear from aging or loud noises, ear infections, abnormal bone growths or tumors, earwax buildup or a ruptured eardrum.

A: Early signs of hearing loss include difficulty understanding conversations in crowded places or over the phone, struggling to hear consonant sounds, feeling tired after conversations and ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus.

A: Though hearing loss is only able to be fully restored in limited cases, hearing aids and other treatments can allow you to hear the sounds of your world again. If you have conductive hearing loss, which is the result of sound waves being blocked from the inner ear, it may be able to be resolved by surgery or medical treatment.

Sensorineural hearing loss, which causes hair cells in the ear that detect sound to be permanently damaged, is not able to be resolved. However, hearing aids can allow you to connect with sounds again.

A: There are a variety of steps you can take to prevent hearing loss. You can avoid noise-induced hearing loss by wearing earplugs or other hearing protection in loud environments. Also, consider turning down the volume on your television or music. Other types of hearing loss can be prevented by avoiding putting cotton swabs in your ears, managing your blood pressure, keeping diabetes under control and avoiding ototoxic drugs when possible.

A: There are many health conditions that can lead to tinnitus, and often, an exact cause is never found. Common causes of tinnitus include:

• Hearing loss, because the hair cells in the ear that pass sound to the brain can leak electrical impulses to the brain when they are broken
• Ear infections or ear canal blockage, which change the pressure within the ear
• Head or neck injuries, which can impact the inner ear, hearing nerves or brain function related to hearing

A: Tinnitus may interfere with your hearing, but it does not cause hearing loss.

A: You should visit an audiologist for an exam if you're struggling to hear, someone else has noticed a change in your hearing, you're experiencing ear drainage or pain or hearing loss runs in your family. Additionally, those older than 65 or people who work in loud environments should also have a hearing test.

A: Hearing aids are beneficial even for people with mild hearing loss. Treating hearing loss while it is still mild will allow you to remain engaged with your surroundings and connected with loved ones.

A: Yes. There are a variety of benefits to treating hearing loss early, including:

• Improved communication with friends and colleagues
• Reduced risk of cognitive decline, depression and isolation
• Increased connection to the world around you

A: Hearing aids fall into two categories: in-the-ear models and behind-the-ear models.

In-the-ear hearing aids are worn in the ear canal. Styles include:

• Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) models, which are the smallest options available
• In-the-canal (ITC) models, which sit in the lower part of the outer ear bowl and are slightly larger than their IIC and CIC counterparts
• Low-profile hearing aids, which include both half-shell and full-shell designs that sit in the outer eat bowl

• Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) or receiver-in-canal (RIC), which have the speaker resting in the ear canal a

A: Your audiologist will help you choose the hearing aids that will work best for you. Factors they will consider include your degree of hearing loss, the shape of your outer ear and ear canal and any additional features you may benefit from.

A: If you've been diagnosed with hearing loss in only one ear and normal hearing in the other, you only need one hearing aid.

But if you have hearing loss in both ears, using two hearing aids will help you hear in noisy environments and determine which direction sounds are coming from. Even if you have less hearing loss in one ear than the other, using two hearing aids will be beneficial.

A: Hearing aids can reconnect you to sounds you've been missing and help you better understand speech, but they don't restore the ear's natural functions. You may find the new sounds a bit overwhelming at first since your brain needs time to become re-accustomed to processing information entering the ears. Sounds also may seem unusually loud, but you'll become used to them with time.

You'll have several follow-up visits with your audiologist to ensure that your device is working for you. During these visits, your provider will help you with any questions or concerns about adjusting to your hearing aids.

A: Like most significant lifestyle changes, hearing aids may take some getting used to. Along with many benefits, there may be some uncomfortable side effects initially, but your audiologist will help you find solutions to any issues that arise.

Side effects may include:

• Headaches. This is a result of your ears getting used to new sounds and usually disappears within a few months.
• Irritated or itchy ears. Your ears may feel uncomfortable if your hearing aids do not fit properly. An audiologist can help adjust your device to reduce this feeling. If your ears itch, you remove your hearing aids to clean them and prevent wax buildup.
• Issues with feedback. If you hear a whistling or buzzing sound, it may be the result of your hearing aids misdirecting sound. Though this does not occur as often with the digital processors offered by modern hearing aids, your audiologist can help if you're experiencing this issue.

A: OTC hearing aids are medical devices meant to treat mild to moderate hearing loss in those 18 or older. Like prescription hearing aids, they are regulated by the FDA, but they each have varying guidelines for safety and efficacy. OTC hearing aids are different from personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), which are not regulated by the FDA.

A: Unlike prescription hearing aids, OTC hearing aids are only meant for adults with mild or moderate hearing loss. They do not require an exam or fitting from an audiologist.

A: OTC hearing aids are designed for adults experiencing mild or moderate hearing loss. They are not meant to be used by those younger than 18 or adults with severe hearing loss.

A: Prescription hearing aids, which are customized for your needs and appropriate for all levels of hearing loss, are only available after receiving a hearing exam from an audiologist. Over-the-counter hearing aids have been approved by the FDA for certain cases of mild to moderate hearing loss and are available without a hearing exam.

A: Audiologists are healthcare professionals that provide care for issues stemming from the auditory and vestibular areas of the ear, such as hearing and balance disorders. Most frequently, they diagnose hearing impairments and provide treatment for them. They do not perform surgery or prescribe medication.

A: Audiologists are healthcare professionals who have earned at least a master's degree and most hold a doctorate of audiology degree; however, they are not physicians.

A: An ENT, or otolaryngologist, is a doctor that treats issues related to the ears, nose and throat. They focus on diseases, tumors, nerve issues and other abnormalities in these areas of the body.

An audiologist is a hearing healthcare professional that specializes in hearing and balance disorders. They specialize in the technology used to manage conditions like hearing loss.

• You've tried to troubleshoot your device, and it still doesn't work.
• Your hearing aid has holes or cracks in it, or the case is broken.
• Your hearing aid doesn't fit properly anymore.
• You've noticed differences in the volume or sound quality.
• You hear feedback.

Hearing aids should be cleaned daily using a dry cloth or cleaning brush o ensure that wax and dirt do not build up. Additionally, the batteries should be taken out at night.