Hearing Health

Hearing loss can affect people in every part of the world and at every stage of life. In this article, we describe how prevalent hearing loss is on a global scale and across different world regions, with spotlights on Europe and the United States, as well as hearing loss statistics by age, common risk factors, and when it may be time to get your hearing tested.

Hearing implants, sometimes referred to as surgical hearing implants because they require a surgical procedure, are medical hearing solutions designed to help people hear in different ways depending on their hearing loss. This guide explains the main types of hearing implants, how they work, who may be a candidate, and what to expect from the evaluation and treatment process.

Retrocochlear hearing loss affects structures beyond the cochlea, mainly the auditory nerve and promixal brainstem, but does not include higher central auditory pathways. In simple terms, sound may reach the inner ear normally, but the signal may not travel clearly from the ear to the brain. This is different from cochlear hearing loss, which starts inside the inner ear itself. Even though both are forms of sensorineural hearing loss, retrocochlear hearing loss involves the hearing nerve or neural pathways rather than the cochlea.

Diplacusis is a hearing disorder where one sound is perceived as two sounds, different pitches, or an echo-like repetition. It is often called double hearing. It may occur within one ear (monaural diplacusis) or cause a pitch mismatch between ears (binaural diplacusis), and it can be a temporary or permanent ear problem linked to hearing loss or sudden hearing changes.

The four stages of Ménière's disease describe how this chronic inner ear condition can affect hearing and balance over time. Ménière’s disease often causes recurring vertigo attacks, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear.

Infant hearing loss means that a baby cannot hear sounds as expected, either in one or both ears, from birth or early infancy. In everyday life, common signs include a baby not responding to voices, missing sounds, or not developing speech and language skills at the expected pace.