Hearing Loss Doctor in Fairbanks, AK

Are You Struggling With Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss may be affecting you more than you realize. At Aurora Audiology in Fairbanks, AK, we understand that your hearing connects you to the world — it empowers you to communicate, work, and engage with loved ones. It also keeps you safe, aware, and able to relax. Yet for many people, hearing is something that’s easy to take for granted until it starts to fade.

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, about 48 million Americans — roughly 20% of the population — live with some degree of hearing loss. Another 25% report tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) that lasts at least five minutes. Because hearing loss usually occurs gradually, many people don’t realize it’s happening and delay treatment for years.

When your hearing declines, it can feel devastating. Hearing loss doesn’t just affect how you hear — it affects how you live. It can take a toll on your emotional health, your relationships, and your ability to connect socially. Recognizing the early signs of hearing loss allows you to take action sooner, so you can explore treatment options and regain the sounds that make life in Alaska so rich and full.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is caused by numerous factors, including:

Advancing age (presbycusis)
Prescription medications
Head injury
Heredity
Prolonged exposure to loud noises
Acoustic trauma
Illnesses, such as mumps, Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis or an autoimmune disorder
A tumor

How Hearing Loss Occurs

In a healthy ear, sound waves travel through the outer ear canal and vibrate the eardrum, which in turn moves the tiny bones of the middle ear. These vibrations reach the cochlea, a fluid-filled structure in the inner ear lined with microscopic hair cells. As these hairs move, they send electrical signals through the auditory nerve to the brain, where sound is interpreted.

Exposure to loud or prolonged noise can damage these delicate hair cells or nerve fibers. Once they are injured, they cannot regenerate — meaning the brain receives fewer or unclear sound signals, leading to permanent hearing loss.

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, Aurora Audiology in Fairbanks can help. Our local audiologists will identify the cause and severity of your hearing loss and recommend effective treatment options so you can reconnect with the sounds of everyday life.

Which Hearing Loss Is Progressive and Associated With Aging?

Not all hearing loss is the same. Treatment will depend on the type of hearing loss you have.

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type. Symptoms include difficulty understanding sounds or speech at normal volume. It is often caused by repeated exposure to loud noises, damage from noise over long periods of time or disease. Because of that, this type of hearing loss is often associated with aging.

Conductive hearing loss happens when you have a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear, or by an obstruction in the ear canal, such as build-up of ear wax. Conductive hearing loss can be permanent or temporary.

Mixed hearing loss features components of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

How Hearing Loss Affects More Than Just Communication

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, it can affect all areas of your life. Here are just some of the ways life changes when you have untreated hearing loss.

Conversations and other sounds often seem muffled.
You frequently ask others to repeat what they have said more slowly and loudly.
You increase the volume on the TV or radio in order to hear it more clearly.
You often withdraw from social situations because you find it difficult to communicate effectively.

You have difficulty understanding words in noisy situations, including restaurants, family gatherings and large group meetings.
You may experience sudden hearing loss in one ear.
You may suffer from ringing or buzzing sounds in your ears – a symptom of tinnitus–that keeps you awake or raises anxiety.
Over time hearing loss can affect your cognitive abilities, your relationships with others and has even been linked to an increased risk in accidents such as falling.

The Importance of Treating Hearing Loss

Most types of hearing loss are treatable, especially when detected early. Research shows that addressing age-related hearing loss improves social engagement, communication, and emotional well-being.

At Aurora Audiology, our team of Fairbanks audiologists will perform a comprehensive hearing evaluation to determine:

Whether you have hearing loss
The degree and type of loss
The best treatment plan for your needs

We’ll help you choose the right hearing technology, such as digital hearing aids, and provide ongoing care to ensure long-term hearing health.

Don’t wait until hearing loss starts affecting your confidence and quality of life.