Hearing Health - House Ear institute

	How We Hear The auditory system is one of the human body’s most complex and delicate sensory systems. When functioning normally, the auditory system processes and transforms acoustical energy through the intricate structures of the outer, middle and inner ear and then on to the auditory center of the brain, where it can be identified as sound. The entire process occurs within a split-second timeframe.

	Hearing Loss A variety of factors can cause damage or malfunction. Some forms of hearing loss are hereditary, while others can stem from infections, aging, medications, disease, head injury or excessive noise exposure. In rare instances hearing loss can result from an acoustic neuroma (aka vestibular schwannoma or VS) -- a tumor occurring on the balance nerve.

	Preserve Hearing Sound pressure levels are measured in decibels (dB). Guidelines for safe levels of sound exposure are expressed in dB(A), a frequency-weighted measure of sound pressure, and averaged over time as a time-weighted average (TWA).

	Hearing Conservation Workshop House Ear Institute's Virtual Hearing Conservation Workshop is designed to provide musicians, consumers, and students valuable information about the human auditory system and how to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

	Improve Hearing As a general rule, hearing aids can provide hearing that is short of normal acuity but more satisfactory than the uncompensated impairment. The prime function of a hearing aid is to amplify frequencies of sound selectively, so that the auditory nerve can transmit them more effectively.

	Dizziness The term “dizziness” is used to describe many different sensations, including vertigo, lightheadedness and motion sickness. It is important to understand that these are symptoms and not a disease. The symptoms may occur when the brain receives conflicting information from various parts of the balance system, which include nerve impulses of the inner ear, eyes, and nervous system.

	Tinnitus Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-it-us or tin-NIGHT-us) is one of the most common, but misunderstood conditions. It is estimated that 50 million people in the U.S. suffer some degree of it. Tinnitus, or “head noise,” is characterized by a ringing, hissing, buzzing or roaring sound that seems to come from inside the ears. Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can be triggered by a variety of conditions or medications.