Sometimes, it’s easy to recognize when you require medical advice. When you break a bone, for instance, you know you should go to the doctor (or the emergency room, depending on the scenario). You may need a splint or a cast or supportive device, but the thing is that you’re unlikely to try “toughing it out”. At least, not for that long (particularly if you want your bones to mend themselves properly).
It isn’t always that clear cut with regard to hearing aids, however. Hearing loss usually progresses really slowly over time. This means it’s not always simple to know when you may need to begin using hearing aids or to put off seeking treatment you know could be beneficial.
That’s why it’s a good idea to watch out for some specific indicators that you may be losing your ability to communicate. If you detect any, it might be time to consult us about your first pair of hearing aids.
Hearing aids and hearing loss
Hearing loss is mainly treated with hearing aids. But that doesn’t mean everyone who has hearing loss will instantly need a pair of hearing aids. Hearing aids won’t always be beneficial in cases of minor hearing loss. We might want you to hold off on using hearing aids as a result. It’s also possible that we could instruct you to only use your hearing aids when you’re in certain situations.
Essentially, the threshold for requiring hearing aids is not always a diagnosis of hearing loss.
However, hearing aids will be the ideal answer in many circumstances. Many people won’t get their hearing loss diagnosed until it becomes more severe because hearing loss develops gradually and often goes unnoticed for a while. Getting your hearing tested regularly is the key to catching hearing loss early and possibly mitigating the need for hearing aids.
So how will you know if you have hearing loss?
You need hearing aids if you recognize these indicators
Instant communication issues can be the result of hearing loss. The interesting thing, though, is that you don’t always understand that those communication issues are due to hearing loss. So, at what stage will a hearing aid help you?
Watch out for these signs:
- You listen to the radio or TV at high levels: If you’re always turning up the volume on your television or radio or smartphone, it might be due to hearing loss. This is especially true if you keep turning that volume knob higher (and even more especially true if the people around you complain about how loud your media is).
- You have a hard time following conversations in loud places: This is probably one of the most prevailing symptoms of hearing loss. One of the surest signs of hearing loss is that you have difficulty following conversations in loud places, like bars or restaurants. That’s because your brain has a hard time filling in the missing information that you lose when you have hearing impairment. Lots of conversations get muffled as a result.
- When people speak, you can’t always make out what they said: Many individuals don’t think they have hearing loss or need hearing aids because the total volume they perceive seems fine. But the thing about hearing loss is that particular frequencies of sound often go before others. Because of this, things like vowel sounds in the higher register can sound distorted. As a result, you may have a difficult time making out what people are saying to you.
- You’re unable to understand people on the phone: Even the best phone speakers tend to flatten a voice. That can make it hard to understand, especially if you have hearing loss. It can be extremely difficult to hear voices as a result of the loss of these frequencies.
So how should you deal with it?
Clearly, you know exactly what you need to do when you break a bone! But what about when you experience these signs that you may need a hearing aid? How severe does hearing loss have to be to call for a hearing aid? Well, that’s difficult to answer, but when you begin noticing these signs, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with us. We will be able to inform you about how severe your hearing loss is.
And if you do wind up needing hearing aids, a hearing assessment will help determine the best device for your hearing needs. This means you’ll be able to get back to communicating with your friends and loved ones, you’ll understand your grandkids when they call you on the phone, your co-workers at your morning meeting, and your friends at the pub.
Call us to schedule your hearing exam, we can help you understand if you’re suffering from hearing loss.
