The inner ear contains delicate “hair cells” that are responsible for converting sound-induced vibrations into electrical impulses that are recognizable to the brain. These hair cells resemble blades of grass on a lawn. When subjected to loud noise, however, these hair cells look as though they had been beaten down by hard rain. This is physical evidence of a “temporary threshold shift,” which is characterized by hearing loss. Afterwards, the hair cells mostly return to their normal posture, although some of the hair cells die off. Each time the ears experience a dose of loud noise, they lose a bit more of their hearing ability. In time, noise-induced hearing loss may make it necessary to wear a hearing instrument.
Millions of people of all ages report having some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss has many causes, symptoms, and effects when untreated over time. Many people could reconnect themselves to the sounds they love if they chose to use hearing aids. To schedule an appointment, please call EAR & HEARING CLINIC. We are registered members of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario.
