1. Health

About Hearing Loss

From , former About.com Guide

Updated March 16, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Picture of Savia hearing instrument from Phonak

Phonak Savia hearing instrument.

Image © Phonak
Looking for information on hearing loss? Here are some of the articles on hearing loss at About.com: Deafness. Many more can be found using the search engine, or the tabs at the top of the page.

Discovering a Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can be identified at birth, or it can occur at any time in life. Many people are late deafened.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program
Profile of this very important government program.

Denial of Hearing Loss
If you have been hearing your entire life, and suddenly find you can not hear certain things anymore, it can be hard to accept. A common reaction is denial.

Hearing Impaired
Often, people with hearing losses are described as being "hearing impaired." Here is why you should not use that term.

Late Deafened
Losing your hearing later in life as an older child, teenager, or adult presents its own challenges. It is not easy transitioning to a new life as a person with hearing loss.

Types of Hearing Loss

There are different types of hearing loss. All hearing losses are not created equal.

Types and Degrees of Hearing Loss
Explains the types of hearing losses, and the degrees or extent of, hearing loss.

Fluctuating Hearing Loss
Does your hearing (or your child's) seem to go up and down? It may be a fluctuating hearing loss.

Low Frequency Hearing Loss
A hearing loss in the lower Hertz frequencies, is a low frequency hearing loss.

Mild Hearing Loss
Many people have only a small amount of hearing loss, known as a mild hearing loss. However, even a mild loss can have its effects.

Unilateral Hearing Loss
Often, people have a hearing loss in only one ear while the other ear can hear normally. But even a unilateral or single ear, hearing loss has an impact.

Hyperacusis - A Personal Experience
It is possible to be hard of hearing and still have hyperacusis, which is oversensitivity to sound.

Communicating with People with Hearing Loss

Communicating with people who have a hearing loss can be challenging.

Communicate with Deaf or Hard of Hearing People
Are you a hearing person who does not know sign language but still needs to be able to communicate with deaf or hard of hearing people? Here is how, based on well-known techniques plus my own personal experience.

Preventing Hearing Loss

Whether you are hearing and want to prevent hearing loss or already have a hearing loss, there are ways to protect your hearing.

Hearing Protection
It is well known that noise can cause hearing loss, but there are ways to protect your hearing (or avoid losing more hearing if you already have a hearing loss).

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