In order to understand how we hear, we need to understand a little bit about both sound and the anatomy of the hearing mechanism.
Sound is the result of vibration. It is the movement of
air particles, that are perceived in both frequency (pitch)
and intensity (loudness). Frequency or pitch, is the number
of cycles per second at which any sound is vibrating. Most
sounds are complex, that is they are made up of a
combination of many frequencies. The less a sound vibrates,
(or less cycles per second) the lower pitch of the sound.
For example, a train whistle or a buzz is a low frequency
sound. The more a sound vibrates, the higher the pitch. For
example, sirens or violins are high pitch sounds.
When we test hearing, we test a variety of sounds from low
pitch to high pitch. We do this to determine how well each
person hears each of these sounds. If a hearing loss is
present, we can see from the audiogram, which sounds will be
affected. This often determines the amount of difficulty one
will have with understanding of speech. Vowels are primarily
composed of low pitched sounds. If you place your hand on
your throat and say the vowel sounds, you will feel the
intensity of the sound. They are voiced. There is power and
loudness when you say them. If you say consonant sounds, for
example, p, b, t, s, k, and so forth, there is no intensity
of sound. The consonants are unvoiced and therefore very
soft.
Many people who lose their hearing, particularly through the
aging process have better hearing in the low frequency
range, and poorer hearing in the high frequency range. For
that reason, often they can hear speech but are not be able
to make out the words that have been said. They are hearing
sound in a distorted way. They may hear the low frequency
components, but because the high frequency portion is too
soft or sometimes not heard at all, it is very difficult to
differentiate one word from another. Hearing aids,
particularly the newer, more advanced, digital and
programmable hearing aids are especially effective for
helping even people who could not wear hearing aids before,
to use them very successfully.
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If you would like to learn more about what this technology can do for you, call us today at 713-512-1267 to schedule a complimentary demonstration of our advanced technology instruments. |
The ear is divided into three parts:
The outer ear consists of the pinna (the part you can see), the ear canal, and the eardrum.
The middle ear is a small, hollow air filled cavity behind the eardrum The smallest bones of the body, the malleus, incus and stapes are located in this area. The malleus is attached to the eardrum . The incus connects the malleus to the stapes. The footplate of the stapes is imbedded in the oval window of the cochlea. They all work together in a chain to mechanically transmit sound.
The inner ear, or the cochlea, is a snail shaped structure that is filled with fluid and tiny hair cells. Their function is to send nerve impulses to the brain. Most people with hearing losses due to the aging process and many who have hearing losses for other reasons, have them because of damage to this area.
The balance mechanism (semicircular canals)is a structure
that sits on top of the cochlea. It is responsible for
letting you know what position you are in relationship to
your surroundings. It is fluid filled and is very sensitive
to changes in your orientation to the world. Occasionally a
person who has a hearing loss, also has a problem with
balance or dizziness. Testing is necessary to determine if
this is related to the hearing loss or to another medical
condition.
Diagram provided courtesy of Starkey
Labs, Inc.
When the sound enters the ear, it makes the eardrum
vibrate. Because the eardrum is attached to the grouping of
middle ear bones, they in turn, vibrate. The last bone, the
stapes, pushes into the oval window of the cochlea and
because the fluid is disrupted by this, the tiny hair cells
are stimulated and they send nerve impulses to the auditory
nerve which then sends the sound to the brain. The outer
hair cells respond to soft sounds while the inner hair cells
are activated by more intense louder sounds. These responses
send nerve impulses to the brain to the auditory cortex to
allow you to process the sound.
When there is a problem with any one of the parts of the
hearing mechanism, whether located in the outer, middle or
inner ear, a hearing loss is present. It is essential that
if you think you have a hearing loss, a comprehensive
audiologic evaluation is performed by a certified, licensed
audiologist. That way your hearing will be thoroughly
evaluated to determine how much, and what type of loss is
present.
If a hearing loss is located in the outer or middle part of
the ear, a conductive hearing loss is present. Many
conductive losses can be corrected by proper medical,
otologic, or surgical intervention. Some of the reasons for
a conductive loss may be simple, such as impacted cerumen
(wax) in the ear canal, or be the result of infection,
perforated eardrum(s) otosclerosis, recurrent ear infections
or mastoiditis. The If you have a conductive hearing loss,
or conductive component, you will be referred for additional
medical consultation to determine if medical or surgical
treatment is indicated. If it is not, you may be a candidate
for hearing aid amplification.
A sensori-neural hearing loss is one in which the damage to
your hearing mechanism has taken place in the cochlea or
auditory nerve. Most nerves losses are cochlear in site. If
a sensori-neural loss is present, and you wish assistance
for you loss, we will be able to provide you with the very
best hearing aid assistance possible. It is precisely this
type of loss that benefits the most from newer advanced
digital and programmable hearing aids.
Call us today at 713-512-1267 to
schedule an audiologic evaluation, hearing aid consultation,
or a complimentary demonstration of our advanced technology
instruments. You may also place a request through our
online
form.
713-512-1267
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