{"id":4811,"date":"2019-11-08T10:03:51","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T18:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/houseprovidence.org\/?p=4811"},"modified":"2019-11-08T10:03:51","modified_gmt":"2019-11-08T18:03:51","slug":"can-your-hearing-loss-be-corrected-with-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/househearing.com\/can-your-hearing-loss-be-corrected-with-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Your Hearing Loss Be Corrected with Surgery?"},"content":{"rendered":"

For all the glitz and glamour Southern California offers, many residents of Los Angeles struggle with enjoying the many entertainment options. That\u2019s because they have hearing loss<\/a>, a condition that negatively impacts many areas of their everyday lives. Most patients must resign themselves to wearing hearing aids, but a lucky few may be able to reverse their impairment with surgery.<\/p>\n

Surgical Solutions for Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n

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Hearing loss occurs in different parts of the ear. There are three main types: sensorineural hearing loss<\/a> (SSHL), also known as nerve deafness; conductive hearing loss<\/strong>; and mixed hearing loss<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How does sensorineural hearing loss work?<\/h3>\n

SSHL affects the inner ear and is by far the most common type; about 90 percent of people with hearing loss experience this kind. SSHL can be caused by noise, aging, disease, trauma, tumors and medications<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It is irreversible; once the hair cells in the cochlea have been damaged, they can\u2019t be repaired<\/strong> and won\u2019t grow back.<\/p>\n

Can SSHL be treated with surgery?<\/h3>\n

Most patients are prescribed hearing aids<\/strong> to help them hear better and communicate more effectively. Those with severe hearing loss<\/strong> or deafness may be candidates for cochlear implants<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This surgical procedure bypasses damaged portions of the inner ear to directly stimulate the auditory nerve.<\/p>\n

How do cochlear implants work?<\/h4>\n

Cochlear implants contain an electronic device that is surgically implanted beneath the ear<\/strong>; it is connected to electrodes that are placed in the cochlea. An external portion includes a microphone that captures sound and a processor that converts the sound to electrical signals that are transmitted to the internal component and converted to sound. This isn\u2019t true \u201chearing,\u201d however; cochlear implant patients must learn how to decode signals in order to understand speech and other sounds.<\/p>\n

What causes conductive hearing loss?<\/h3>\n

Conductive hearing loss<\/a> affects the outer and\/or middle ear. It\u2019s much less common; only one in ten people with hearing loss has this type<\/strong>. It occurs when sound is unable to reach the inner ear due to an obstruction or trauma. Causes include earwax buildup, infection, abnormal bone growth and foreign objects<\/strong> in the ears.<\/p>\n

Can conductive hearing loss be treated with surgery?<\/h3>\n

If you do have conductive hearing loss, the odds are good that it can be reversed through a surgical procedure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Common surgeries for correcting conductive hearing loss include:<\/h4>\n