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Bilateral hearing loss is when hearing loss is present in both ears. Like almost every other part of the body, absolute symmetry is hard to come by and our ears probably won’t have symmetrical hearing loss from one side to the other.
Just as movement patterns result in uneven strength from one side to the other, our ears have also been exposed to scenarios that produce varying levels of hearing loss. And, experts advise that we treat hearing loss in both ears when present.
How hearing loss works
While hearing loss can appear at any age, from birth to old age, the most common reasons people lose their hearing are aging and noise exposure. Both of these types of hearing loss are acquired throughout a life and tend to present later, around the age of 65. In fact, almost one third of people over the age of 65 have hearing loss. That number increases with each birthday and by the time you reach 75, half of your peer group will have hearing loss.
We are born with a finite number of sensitive cells located within the inner ear. Both aging and loud noise harm these cells over time and their number decreases. They do much of the heavy lifting in the hearing process. These cells receive sound from the world and turn it into sound information that is then sent to the brain. As the number of cells decline, we are unable to collect the broad spectrum of sound around us and send that information to the brain. The brain’s processing centers thus receive less information and our experience of this is that we simply hear less.
What is binaural hearing?
Beyond the matter of hearing what people are saying, becoming alert to audible environmental cues like traffic noise and enjoying ambient sounds like wind and leaves rustling, we also use our hearing to locate where sounds are coming from. This is how you know where to look when someone calls your name. This process is called binaural hearing.
It’s a largely unconscious process, whereby the brain compares the difference in volume from one ear to the other and uses that equation to determine where the sound is coming from. It’s a skill you honed very early on in life and at this point, seems automatic.
When hearing loss is present, binaural hearing doesn’t function as successfully. If you are already dealing with hearing loss, you may notice that it’s more difficult to pinpoint where a sound is coming from.
The benefits of treating both ears
Treating the hearing loss of both ears is how we can restore that ability to determine where sound is coming from. It can help us exist more safely in the world, so that when a traffic horn sounds, we know to jump out of the way and in the right direction.
It also helps us to orient ourselves in space. Accidental falls are much more common in people with hearing loss and being unaware of spatial activity is one factor contributing to this statistic. For instance, a small child running in the home or a family pet may have (what appears to be) chaotic movement patterns. They’re also not easily within your sight line. Binaural hearing can help us evaluate where they are in relation to us and protect us from being surprised or caught off balance.
Treating bilateral hearing loss helps your brain
Recalling the example of different sides of the body exhibiting varying levels of strength, we seek balance when we notice that one side is performing differently than the other. Imbalances in strength can result in overcompensation from the other side, patterns of tightness or even lack of mobility on the weaker side.
The same is true for our ears when hearing loss is present. Our brains have to work much harder when we treat only one ear for hearing loss. This additional effort can have unintended consequences like excessive fatigue, difficulty focusing and experts believe it can even leave the brain more vulnerable to cognitive disorders like dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.
Schedule a hearing consultation today
If you’re having trouble hearing or are over the age of 65, schedule a hearing consultation today. Our highly trained team will lead you through a simple hearing exam and explain your results. We can determine whether you are a good candidate for hearing aids or other intervention. Together, we’ll chart the best path forward for your healthiest hearing possible.