Sound Waves and How Hearing Loss Affects Our Perception of Them

Hearing loss is a common experience all around the world. It is a normal part of aging, and a frequent experience amongst people of all ages. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 1.5 billion people around the world who live with hearing loss. 

Whether you are experiencing hearing loss, or know someone who is, it can be helpful to understand some of the effects of hearing loss, for example, how a person’s perception of sound waves changes when they are experiencing hearing loss. This will ensure the correct help and advice can be obtained.

Here is some more information if you are interested in learning about sound waves, and how hearing loss affects the perception of them. 

What are sound waves?

The way humans communicate is much more complex than it may seem on the surface. While speaking and listening is something you learn to do as you grow up, there is a lot more science behind how it all works. Sounds are created by vibrations that travel as waves in the air. When noise is produced, it will vibrate. It will then cause air particles nearby to vibrate, and then the air particles near them to vibrate, and so on, until it creates a wave.

Sound waves can travel much faster through solids and liquids. If the solid surface is hard, then it will reflect the sound well and even produce an echo. If the solid surface is soft, the sound will not travel as well, as they tend to absorb the sound. This is how sound travels from the point of creation to a person’s ear.

The size of the vibrations will impact how loud the sound is. A person’s ear will then detect the waves of sound via their vibrations because they will vibrate the eardrum as a result. This vibration activates several bones in the middle ear, which is an important function in delivering the sound to the inner ear.

The inner ear, also known as the cochlea which is a sensitive part of the ear, contains a small organ called the Corti, which is filled with tiny hair cells. The hair cells, also known as stereocilia, transform the sound waves into electric impulses by the stimulation of different frequencies. This process enables the electric impulses to be transmitted to the brain for processing. 

How does hearing loss affect your perception of sound waves?

If a person is experiencing hearing loss, this will hinder the body’s means to process the way the ear takes in sound waves. This may vary depending on the type of hearing loss a person is experiencing. The most common types of hearing loss are conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss and mixed hearing loss.

• Conductive hearing loss results in difficulty in hearing soft sounds. This is because sound waves are not easily able to get through the outer or middle ear to be processed fully. Conductive hearing loss can be a result of fluid build-up in the middle ear, a bone abnormality or injury. It could also be a result of a foreign object or wax build-up in the ear canal.
• Sensorineural hearing loss is very common and is a result of damaged stereocilia. This can occur from loud noises, head trauma, drug use, diseases, and aging. This affects the perception of sound waves as it will impact the volume or frequency a person can hear sounds. 
• Mixed hearing loss is typically a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. A person can have a variety of individual issues that are causing their experience with hearing loss or one issue can affect multiple parts of a person’s ear, for example, a head trauma. 

If you are experiencing hearing loss, it can be helpful to learn more about how it affects your perception of sound waves. With this knowledge, you can seek the right level of support and treatment, where necessary. 

You can visit an audiologist, who will be able to assess your hearing and take the time to talk you through your individual experience, equip you with helpful tools, and provide you with help and support on your journey. 

Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance is an audiology service that provides personalized hearing aid care and services. Some of their services include hearing and balance testing and diagnosis, hearing-aid prescription and fitting, tinnitus therapy and a wide range of other helpful audiology services. 

To learn more about Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance, contact the team by calling (801) 685-3456.