Hearing loss is a partial or complete reduction in the ability to hear sounds in one or both ears, ranging from mild difficulty understanding conversation in a noisy restaurant to profound deafness. Roughly 1 in 8 Americans has measurable hearing loss, and the proportion rises sharply after age 60. The good news: most adult hearing loss is highly manageable when caught early — and modern hearing technology, professionally fit and verified with Real-Ear Measurement, is dramatically more effective than what was available even a decade ago.
If you’ve found yourself asking people to repeat themselves, reaching for the TV remote a little more often, or feeling unusually tired after a dinner with friends, this page is for you. We’ll walk through what hearing loss is, what causes it, the warning signs, and what actually happens when you come in for a hearing evaluation in our Fort Lauderdale office.
The Three Types of Hearing Loss
Audiologists classify hearing loss into three categories based on which part of the hearing pathway is affected. Knowing which type you have shapes the treatment plan.
Conductive
Sound is blocked from reaching the inner ear — usually because of earwax, fluid behind the eardrum, a perforation, or middle-ear bone issues like otosclerosis. Often fully treatable.
Learn more about conductive hearing loss →Sensorineural
The most common type in adults. Damage to the tiny hair cells of the inner ear or the auditory nerve, often from age-related changes or noise exposure. Permanent, but very effectively managed with hearing aids.
Mixed
A combination of both conductive and sensorineural causes occurring at the same time — for example, age-related hearing loss alongside an ear infection. Treated by addressing each component.
What Causes Hearing Loss?
In adults, hearing loss almost always comes from one or more of these sources. Many patients we see in Fort Lauderdale have a combination of two or three working together.
- Age-related changes (presbycusis). The single most common cause in adults. The hair cells of the inner ear gradually lose function over decades, typically affecting the high frequencies first. This is why patients often say they can hear their spouse but can’t make out the words.
- Noise exposure. Lifetime exposure to loud noise — occupational (construction, music, military service, dentistry) or recreational (boating, motorcycles, concerts, power tools) — permanently damages inner-ear cells. Once gone, those cells do not regenerate.
- Genetics. A family history of hearing loss is a known risk factor.
- Earwax buildup or impaction. Surprisingly common, often dramatic when treated — many patients hear noticeably better within minutes of professional removal.
- Ototoxic medications. Some chemotherapy drugs, certain antibiotics, and high-dose aspirin or NSAIDs can damage hearing. If you’re on any of these, baseline and follow-up testing matter.
- Underlying medical conditions. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders are all linked to elevated hearing-loss risk.
- Head trauma. Concussions and skull-base injuries can damage either the middle-ear bones or the inner ear itself.
- Sudden hearing loss. A rapid loss in one ear over hours or days is a medical emergency. Treatment within 72 hours dramatically improves outcomes — if this happens, call us or go to an ER right away.
Early Signs You May Have Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is gradual, which is exactly what makes it easy to miss. Patients rarely wake up one morning unable to hear — the world just slowly gets quieter and harder to follow. Here are the everyday signs that bring most people in for their first hearing evaluation.
Common signs of hearing loss
- You frequently ask people to repeat themselves, especially women and children
- Family members say the TV or phone volume is too loud
- Conversations in restaurants, social gatherings, or crowded rooms feel exhausting
- You hear ringing, buzzing, or other sounds that aren’t there (tinnitus)
- You miss the doorbell, the microwave, or someone calling you from another room
- You find yourself avoiding social events that used to be enjoyable
- You can hear that someone is talking, but you can’t quite make out the words
- Phone calls have become harder, especially with unfamiliar voices
Recognizing two or three of these is reason enough for a baseline hearing test — not because something is necessarily wrong, but because catching changes early gives us the best treatment outcomes.
Try our quick hearing self-assessment → It’s 10 questions, takes 2 minutes, and gives you a clear sense of whether a professional evaluation makes sense for you right now.
Why Early Treatment Matters
Two decades of research have made one thing very clear: untreated hearing loss is not just an ear problem. It quietly affects nearly every other dimension of healthy aging.
- Cognitive health. Multiple large studies (Lin et al., Johns Hopkins; the Lancet Commission on Dementia) have linked untreated hearing loss to faster cognitive decline. Treating hearing loss is one of the most modifiable risk factors for dementia in mid-to-late life.
- Social isolation and depression. When conversation becomes effortful, people withdraw from it. That withdrawal is associated with measurable increases in loneliness, depression, and reduced quality of life.
- Falls and balance. The inner ear is intimately tied to balance. Adults with hearing loss have a higher risk of falls — the leading cause of injury in adults over 65.
- Earlier intervention works better. The auditory cortex stays sharper when it’s regularly stimulated. Patients who wait a decade after symptoms begin take longer to adapt to hearing aids than patients who address the issue earlier.
None of this is meant to alarm you. It’s simply the reason we encourage every patient over 50 to get a baseline hearing test, the same way you’d schedule a baseline eye exam. Knowing where you stand is the first step.
What Happens at a Hearing Evaluation
A complete diagnostic evaluation in our Fort Lauderdale office takes 60 to 90 minutes and is far gentler than most patients expect. Here’s what to expect, step by step.
- Conversation first. Dr. Rossetti spends real time with you up front — understanding your history, your lifestyle, the specific situations where hearing feels difficult, and your goals for treatment if any.
- Otoscopic exam. A gentle look inside each ear canal to check for wax, inflammation, or anything that might affect testing.
- Pure-tone audiometry. The classic “press the button when you hear a tone” test, performed in a sound-treated booth across a range of pitches.
- Speech-in-noise testing. Because hearing words clearly in real-world background noise is the actual goal — not just hearing tones in silence.
- Tympanometry. A quick test of how well the eardrum and middle-ear bones are moving. Painless.
- Results conversation. Dr. Rossetti walks you through your audiogram in plain language, explains what it means, and discusses next steps — which may be nothing more than “come back in a year.”
Learn more about our hearing testing services →
Why South Florida Patients Choose Florida Hearing Matters
Florida Hearing Matters has been a trusted part of the Fort Lauderdale community since 2013. Dr. Valerie Rossetti, Au.D., who has practiced as an audiologist in South Florida since 2005, founded the practice and leads it today — with a doctorate from Salus University, clinical training at New York-Presbyterian, and an undergraduate audiology background from Hofstra. Local ophthalmologists at Lauderdale Eye Associates, Insight Eye Institute, and Aker Kasten Eye Center, along with family physicians at Holy Cross Medical Group, regularly refer their patients to her practice.
What sets the practice apart isn’t any one feature — it’s the combination of Real-Ear Measurement-verified fittings on every hearing aid we dispense, a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, personalized care plans built around your actual lifestyle (not a one-size-fits-all tier), and an unhurried, listening-first approach to every visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most adult hearing loss is sensorineural and cannot be medically reversed, but it can be effectively managed with properly fitted hearing aids verified through Real-Ear Measurement. Conductive hearing loss caused by earwax, fluid, or middle-ear issues is often fully treatable. A hearing evaluation determines which type you have.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover hearing aids or routine hearing exams. Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans include partial hearing aid benefits. Florida Hearing Matters works with most major insurance plans and offers financing through CareCredit; our office can verify your specific benefits before your visit.
Adults should have a baseline hearing test by age 50, then every 1–3 years after, or sooner if any signs of hearing loss appear. Anyone exposed to loud occupational or recreational noise should be tested annually regardless of age.
A complete diagnostic hearing evaluation at Florida Hearing Matters typically takes 60–90 minutes. This includes a case-history conversation, otoscopic exam, pure-tone audiometry, speech-in-noise testing, tympanometry, and a discussion of results and next steps.
No. In Florida, you can schedule directly with a licensed audiologist without a physician referral. Some insurance plans require referrals for coverage, so we recommend checking your specific benefits first.
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