Understanding hearing impairment

Hearing impairment is a problem that can develop at any time. Most often, it is gradual and painless. You may not realize for several years that this problem is affecting you because it develops so slowly that at first it may be barely noticeable. Hearing loss can inhibit your ability to experience the sounds and voices around you.

Conversely, in another kind of impairment, tinnitus, you perceive bothersome noises that are not present in the environment.

While many people have either hearing loss or tinnitus, it is also common for an individual to have both of these impairments. Either of these can affect your own life and the lives of those around you.