Trauma, especially a skull fracture or punctured eardrum, puts ears at serious risk for hearing loss. Researchers don’t fully understand why hearing declines with age. It could be that lifetime exposure to noise and other damaging factors slowly wears down the ears’ delicate mechanics. They want you out of your car, living in a tiny apartment, next to a public transit stop.
Below are the loudest noise levels people can be around on a job without hearing protection and for how long. Attached to nerve cells in the cochlea are thousands of tiny hairs that help turn sound vibrations into electrical signals. If you have a sudden loss of hearing, particularly in one ear, seek medical attention right away. The vibration of the eardrum triggers a chain of vibrations through the bones. Because of differences in the size, shape and position of the three bones, the force of the vibration increases by the time it reaches the inner ear.
Unfortunately, many people brush off this temporary hearing loss as a sinus infection which can stop them from getting the treatment they need. If you find yourself wondering, “why does my hearing go in and out? Loud sounds usually damage both ears, but sometimes a person is exposed to loud sounds on one side of the body while their head protects the other ear.
Listening is a crucial aspect of effective communication. It involves not just hearing the words being spoken, but also understanding the emotions and intentions behind them. One way to show that you are truly listening is by hearing out what others have to say.
Active Listening
Attending a concert, working with loud machinery, or living in a neighborhood with heavy traffic are just three examples of loud noise exposure that can cause SSHL. Depending on the sound decibel, a temporary threshold shift can occur in the ear canal after one incident or repeated exposure. The human ear typically recovers from noise exposure on its own and normal hearing gradually returns.
If one ear isn’t working, the brain cannot compare timing and loudness, nor determine the sound’s origin, and such inability can be destabilizing and disorienting. Because doctors often do not know the cause of SSHL, they may treat the condition with corticosteroids. These can help reduce inflammation and help a person’s body fight illness. If the condition does not respond to this treatment, a person may require a hearing aid or cochlear implant. In the United States, there are around 66,000 new cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss annually. Certain conditions, including age, illness, and genetics, may play a role in hearing loss.
We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional. If a person has hearing loss in both ears but one ear is more severe than the other, they may be eligible for a Bilateral Contralateral Routing of Signals (BiCROS). Audiologists also conduct a hearing test to chart how well the patient hears at each frequency in each ear.
In the event that a medication is causing hearing loss as a side effect, stopping the drug as soon as hearing loss is noticed can help remedy the situation. A traumatic brain injury or head injury can cause sudden hearing loss in one ear. The hearing loss can be conductive, which means sound cannot reach the inner ear, or sensorineural, in which something causes damage to the structures in the inner ear or auditory nerve. Have you ever woken up in the morning and found that you can’t hear temporarily? Or have you been going about your day, and lose hearing in one ear for a matter of minutes? This is what hearing experts call sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) or sudden deafness.
When you hear out someone, you are actively engaging with them. This means giving them your full attention, making eye contact, nodding in acknowledgement, and responding appropriately. Active listening shows that you value the other person’s perspective and are willing to consider their thoughts and feelings.
Building Relationships
By hearing out others, you are fostering positive relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. When people feel heard and understood, they are more likely to trust you and open up to you. This can lead to stronger connections and better collaboration in both personal and professional settings.
- How can I improve my listening skills?
- What should I do if I disagree with what someone is saying?
- Why is it important to listen without interrupting?
- Practice active listening techniques, like paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions.
- Respectfully express your differing opinion and try to find common ground.
- Interrupting can make the other person feel dismissed or disrespected.
