Hearing Loss Doesn't Feel the Same for Everyone
Sensorineural
Hearing Loss
This is the most common type, and the one most associated
with aging.
Sensorineural hearing loss happens when the tiny hair cells inside your cochlea become damaged, or when the auditory nerve that carries sound signals to your brain stops working as it should.
These hair cells don’t regenerate. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. That’s why sensorineural hearing loss is permanent in most cases.
Common causes
- Ageing
- Long-Term Noise Exposure
- Certain Medications
- Illness
- Genetics
What it sounds like
You can hear people talking, but struggle to make out what they’re saying. High-pitched sounds, like children’s voices or consonants such as “s” and “f,” tend to go first. Conversations in noisy environments become exhausting.
Treatment
It’s permanent, but it’s also the type most successfully managed with hearing aids. For severe cases, cochlear implants may be an option.
Conductive
Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss occurs when something physically blocks sound from travelling through the outer or middle ear. People describe it as hearing everything through cotton wool; muffled rather than unclear.
Common causes
- Earwax buildup
- Fluid in the middle ear (common in children)
- Ear infections
- A perforated eardrum
- Otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the middle ear)
What it sounds like
Sounds seem muffled or quieter than they should be, as if someone has turned the volume down. Unlike sensorineural loss, this type often affects all frequencies fairly evenly.
Treatment
Mixed Hearing Loss
Common causes
When someone with existing sensorineural hearing loss then develops an ear infection, fluid buildup, or another conductive issue on top of it.
Head injuries are another cause.
What it sounds like
A wider range of sounds is affected, depending on how much of each type is present.
Treatment
We may recommend a combination of medical treatment and hearing aids.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, or humming sound only you can hear. It’s a symptom, not a hearing loss condition in itself, and it often accompanies hearing loss.
It can be constant or intermittent, quiet or loud enough to interfere with sleep and concentration.
Common causes
- Noise exposure
- Age-related hearing loss
- Earwax blockage
- Certain medications
- Head or neck injuries
What it sounds like
Treatment
It can’t always be eliminated, but it can often be managed. Hearing aids help many people by amplifying external sound, reducing the contrast that makes tinnitus more noticeable.
Which is the best hearing aid for you?
Most people wait seven to ten years before seeking help for hearing loss. By then, the brain has already spent years adapting to the absence of certain sounds, which affects how well treatment works.
The earlier it’s caught, the more options you have.
It’s worth booking an assessment if you:
- Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- Struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments
- Notice ringing, buzzing, or hissing that others can't hear
- Have a child slow to respond to sounds or their name
- Are a veteran with changes in your hearing
A full hearing assessment at Shire Hearing tells you exactly what’s happening and what your options are. No commitment, no pressure.
What Life Sounds Like After Shire Hearing
“My introduction to Shire Hearing was with my mother who lives in Cronulla, I live in Wollongong. Rachel was very caring with my mother who will be 99 on Anzac Day 2020.
My experience with hearing aids started when I mentioned my tinnitus, during the conversation I realised Rachel was very knowledgeable and she told me when I started to lose my hearing, wearing hearing aids would help. They did!”
We had a lovely experience from booking to assessment. The clinic is accessible and they had loads of availability at the Engadine location. The assessor was gentle and relaxed and created a calm and fun environment for our child. 5 stars 🌟
Honestly the most amazing place to get your hearing tests done ✅. I’ve never felt more welcomed & safe before & highly highly recommend the lovely Krystal @ Engadine Clinic. Such great service and knowledge , I couldn’t recommend enough. Please choose Shire hearing Engadine for your next appointment ❤️.
What a great and calm experience! Krystal connected straight away with my toddler son, She took the time to play and engage with my son other than just for testing.
Usually my son is hard to get to cooperate with visual assessments of his ears, but he was happy and comfortable with Krystal.
Would highly recommend Shire Hearing Engadine!
Krystal at Shire Hearing was fantastic with our two neurodiverse boys. She had them cooperating, engaged and interested. And she picked up a previously unknown issue so we can look into it further. Fantastic experience and service!
They are amazing. Any issue with hearing aids they fix for free. Even if it’s just changing the filters. When I was choosing my new hearing aids they lent programmable ones to try and compare. I got the top ones in the end. The programs on the App are also designed just for me which helps adjusting in noisy environments.
Not Sure Which Type of Hearing Loss Applies to You?
A comprehensive hearing assessment will tell you exactly what you’re dealing
with, and what can be done about it. At Shire Hearing, assessments are
free for seniors and pensioners, with no obligation after.
The first step is just finding out.