We have all turned up the volume on our television or asked a friend to repeat themselves during a conversation. When does not hearing well go from an occasional occurrence to a bigger problem?

According to R. Mark Wiet, MD, an otologist/neurotologist with Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, people should see their doctor if these types of behaviors happen frequently or when speech and other sounds become muffled. “Hearing loss can be very isolating for people, and restoring their hearing can change their lives,” he says.

More than 37 million American adults have trouble hearing, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. At Adventist Midwest Health, specialists treat a variety of hearing conditions in children and adults – stemming from genetic problems, infections, tumors and more. A few common conditions in adults include:

Presbycusis. This condition is hearing loss that occurs with age. In fact, over one-half of people over age 75 have some degree of hearing loss, according to the National Institutes of Health. Presbycusis commonly occurs when the inner ear changes because of age or chronic exposure to loud noises. For people with presbycusis, high-pitched noises are harder to hear than low-pitched ones. For example, someone may be able to hear a truck down the road but not hear the telephone ring.

Hearing aids are often used to treat presbycusis. Sometimes the hearing loss is severe enough to require a cochlear implant. Something as simple as removing built-up earwax may also help.

Otosclerosis. This condition, which tends to run in families, occurs when a bone grows abnormally in the middle ear, which prevents the stapes (the third middle ear bone) from moving properly. As a result, people may experience ringing in their ears or hearing loss that can become progressively worse. It can occur in adults as young as 30.

Treatment options include observation, the use of a hearing aid or surgery. During the procedure (called stapedectomy), an otologist or an otolaryngologist can remove the fixed stapes and use a tiny prosthesis to bypass the abnormal bone and allow sound waves to pass to the inner ear.

Noise-related hearing loss. From music players functioning at their loudest to noisy work environments, noise-related hearing loss is more common than ever. “When we hear sounds that are too loud, occasionally our inner ears can become damaged,” says Dr. Wiet.

People who are continuously exposed to loud noises may experience gradual hearing loss. Because symptoms develop over time, someone with noise-related hearing loss may not know it, but it can be diagnosed with a standard hearing test. All newborns should receive a hearing test, and children and adults should receive them as needed. Little can be done to reverse noised-related hearing loss, which is why prevention is so important.

Preventing hearing loss
Although not all types of hearing loss can be prevented, follow these tips to maintain optimal hearing health:

• Protect your ears by wearing earplugs in loud environments, such as a noisy workplace or a concert
• Turn down the volume when listening to music or watching television
• Use noise-canceling headphones
• Have your hearing checked if you suspect a problem

Adventist Midwest Health is on the forefront of hearing health. As the only hospital in Chicago’s western suburbs performing pediatric cochlear implants, several clinical trials are now underway to study this technology on a wider range of patients. To learn more about pediatric cochlear implants, read “Producing the gift of sound.”

Register for a free adult hearing test by calling 866-533-7968.