Did you know that it only takes the loss of one decibel in a person’s hearing range in order to adversely affect their ability to communicate? That means that if they were able to hear sounds at 100dB and then they lost the ability to hear sounds at 99dB, then they would have a hard time communicating.

There are several different types of hearing loss that people can suffer from, including conductive, sensorineural and mixed hearing losses. Conductive hearing loss is generally caused by damage to the outer ear structures or middle ear structures.

Sensorineural hearing loss happens when one’s cochlea or auditory nerve is damaged. Mixed hearing loss occurs when both the inner ear structures and the auditory nerve are damaged.

People aren’t always aware that they’re suffering from any type of hearing loss until their friends mention it to them by pointing out how frequently they mishear what was being said. If this has happened to you or a loved one, you may have a hearing loss. The first step to detecting your hearing loss is to undergo an audiology evaluation, which can be done at the local Hummingbird Hearingcare Clinic based in Winsford, Oswestry, Shevington and Walkden.

If you’ve been exposed to loud noise, whether it’s because of work or play , the easiest way to protect your ears is by wearing earplugs.They’re inexpensive and reusable and they can provide up to 24-27db of protection at frequencies between 125hz and 4000hz – sounds that are mostly inaudible but which still pose a threat if exposure lasts long enough.

Since various sound frequencies pose different risks to your hearing health, some plugs do so more than others. For instance: earplugs that reduce high-pitched sounds should reduce risk to the auditory nerve and cochlea but still leave you able to hear speech earplugs that block low-pitched sounds – like those made by infrasonic machinery, like bass drums and subwoofers—are likely to reduce your ability to hear speech as well.

Earplugs can be made of either soft plastic (polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane) or slow-recovery foam, so the right material is important too.

If you’re unsure about the best way to protect your hearing, always speak a Hummingbird Hearingcare audiologist.