| According to the statistics issued by the National | | | | should seek a professional opinion. In addition, if you |
| Institute on Deafness and Other Communication | | | | have been exposed to any sounds over 80 decibels |
| Disorders, ten percent of Americans are deaf or | | | | for prolonged periods, you are at a high risk for noise |
| hearing impaired. In absolute numbers, that implies | | | | induced hearing loss and therefore must get your |
| that as many as 28 million people have hearing | | | | hearing tested on a regular basis. This includes |
| problems. The Royal National Institute for Deaf | | | | continued exposure to loud sirens, engines and power |
| People (RNID) estimates that there are nine million | | | | tools as well as loud music. |
| people with hearing loss in the UK. A sizeable | | | | In case you are worried about your baby not |
| population is known to be at risk of hearing loss due | | | | responding to loud noises or to the sound of your |
| to continued exposure to hazardous noise levels. | | | | voice, it is important to rule out a hearing impairment. |
| Hearing loss has also been identified as the most | | | | Even though most babies are screened at birth for |
| common birth anomaly. | | | | the same, the fact that their communication skills |
| Very often, the condition remains under diagnosed | | | | aren't developed often makes diagnosis difficult. |
| even in patients who by definition are at high risk for | | | | Your general physician will probably do a preliminary |
| the same. | | | | ear exam and, if necessary, refer you to an |
| So the inevitable question comes to mind: is your | | | | audiologist, a health professional who specializes in the |
| hearing impaired? | | | | diagnosis and management of hearing disorders. You |
| The degree of hearing loss varies across the | | | | may be referred to an otolaryngologist, a doctor |
| spectrum: some people have partial hearing loss, | | | | who specializes in ear, nose, and throat problems for |
| which effectively means that they can hear some | | | | further evaluation. |
| sounds; while others have complete hearing loss. | | | | You will need to undergo certain tests to find out if |
| Some people may have problems hearing in case of | | | | your hearing is impaired, and to what extent. Your |
| excessive background noise. The impairment may be | | | | specialist will also categorize it is as conductive, |
| unilateral or bilateral, symmetric or different in both | | | | sensorineural or mixed hearing loss, and provide you |
| ears. Deafness, by definition, is a complete loss of | | | | treatment options for the same. |
| hearing. | | | | What is essential to remember is that if your friends |
| In case you feel that you hear only parts of | | | | and family have pointed out to you that you seem |
| conversations, or find yourself asking people to | | | | to be having problems hearing, or if you think your |
| repeat what they said once too often; if you have | | | | hearing is impaired, it probably is. The logical course of |
| problems hearing the doorbell ring, or find it difficult to | | | | action thus is to visit your doctor so that your |
| hear what's on television, or if you have had friends | | | | hearing loss can be so managed that it does not |
| tell you that you don't seem to hear properly, you | | | | affect your quality of life. |