Can a Hearing Aid Help if You Have Profound Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss happens along a continuum from mild to profound. A person with mild hearing loss often experiences problems hearing soft sounds in loud situations while someone with moderate hearing loss has trouble hearing moderately loud noises in a similar environment. With severe hearing loss, you might have problems hearing loud conversation and speech. At the extreme end of the spectrum is profound hearing loss, where it’s hard to hear almost everything.

Most hearing loss is due to damage to hair cells in the inner ear that carry sound information to the brain. In the case of mild to moderate hearing impairment, only one type of hair cells is usually damaged, the outer hair cells. As hearing loss becomes more severe, outer and inner hair cells in the inner ear sustain damage, creating greater challenges for restoring normal hearing.

The longer you have hearing loss, the more difficult it is to correct since portions of the brain that process and interpret sound information weaken over time due to lack of stimulation. This doesn’t mean that you won’t get benefits from a hearing aid, but if your hearing loss is profound, you may not get the same benefits as someone with a lesser degree of hearing impairment. Even with a hearing aid, you may still have problems with speech discrimination and difficulty hearing in a loud environment, although your hearing will be significantly improved.

The take-home message? If you suspect you have any degree of hearing loss, consult with a hearing care professional as soon as possible. The earlier you’re evaluated, the better your outcome will be should you need hearing amplification. Your hearing is too important to ignore. Don’t take it for granted – get a hearing test.

References:

Souza, P. (2009, January 19). Severe hearing loss – Recommendations for fitting amplification. AudiologyOnline. Retrieved from https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/severe-hearing-loss-recommendations-for-893