The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, almost 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss. At least 700 million of these people will need hearing rehabilitation. If unaddressed, hearing loss can impact cognition, communication, employment, education and more. That’s why caring for your ear health is just as important as maintaining overall well-being through a balanced diet and exercise.
To help you become more aware of what a hearing condition might look like, we outline five below and discuss when you should see a doctor.
Read more: 7 Unexpected Things That May Be Hurting Your Hearing
You temporarily lose hearing in one or both of your ears
What it is: Acute noise-induced hearing loss or obstructive hearing loss.
If you’ve ever been to a loud concert without earplugs for hearing protection, you may have experienced noise-induced hearing loss before. Acute noise-induced hearing loss occurs when you temporarily lose your hearing in response to exposure to loud noise. It can make environmental sounds seem muffled or make conversations sound stifled. Though temporary on its own, repeatedly experiencing acute noise-induced hearing loss can lead to permanent hearing loss in the long run.
Obstructive, or conductive, hearing loss occurs when something physically blocks sound from reaching your hearing structures. This can happen when you have too much ear wax built up in your ears, if you have a foreign object lodged in your ear, or if you have some sort of injury to your inner, middle or outer ear. If you have this type of hearing loss, you may also experience pain or a feeling of fullness in your ear.
If the sound of someone eating something crunchy, like an apple, distresses you to the point of anger or resentment, you may need to talk to a doctor about misophonia.
You hear ringing in your ears and experience vertigo
What it is: Ménière’s disease.
This disorder of the inner ear is characterized by tinnitus and bouts of vertigo (dizziness), and it can contribute to progressive hearing loss. Ménière’s disease is considered a chronic condition, and doctors don’t yet know the exact cause. However, fluid buildup and problems with fluid drainage seem to be a contributing factor. In most cases, Ménière’s disease only affects one ear and can cause a feeling of fullness in the affected ear, a symptom referred to as aural fullness.
You can hear your own pulse, and it’s incessant
What it is: Rhythmic tinnitus.
Also called pulsatile tinnitus, this is a rare form of regular tinnitus. Rhythmic tinnitus, in contrast to regular tinnitus, occurs in response to a physical sound — that of your blood circulating through your arteries. Doctors sometimes call this condition “objective tinnitus” because they can hear the sound, whereas regular tinnitus is subjective because only the patient can hear it.
If you have rhythmic tinnitus, you might notice that the pitch of the sound correlates to your pulse. You may also feel like you can never escape the sound, especially when lying down or pressing your ear to something.
What should I do if I think I have an ear disorder?
If you suspect something is wrong with your ears or hearing, skip the Google-fest and see a doctor as soon as you can. Hearing disorders, especially hearing loss, can creep up slowly, showing no symptoms until the disorder has progressed to a difficult state.
In most cases, you’ll need to see an otolaryngologist or audiologist for ear and hearing disorders. If you go to your primary care doctor, you’ll likely get referred out to one of those ear specialists. If you have an ear disorder that involves or has induced sensorineural hearing loss, ask your doctor about hearing aids, assistive listening devices or cochlear implants.
