Are You Suffering from Hearing Loss? Here’s What You Should Know

Getting old can be tough for some people; to others, it can be a gift. 

If you are someone believing the former, you are likely facing challenges that you find difficult to overcome. This might be due to an illness or just the trials of ageing.

As we age, so many aspects of life become tougher; seeing, moving, and hearing, to name a few. It is hearing we will focus on in this article, specifically the signs you must look out for to show you might benefit from a hearing aid.

If you are an older person, then your biggest enemy might be hearing loss.

According to the World Health Organisation, hearing loss is expected to increase drastically over the coming decades and affect approximately two billion of people by 2050. However, this does not mean that you have to let it get to you.

By identifying the signs of hearing loss in yourself, you can take the necessary steps to minimize the effects of this, like by buying hearing aids and getting your life back on track.

What is the difference between hearing loss and deafness?

To clarify, hearing loss is a general term that describes the difficulty in hearing arising from any number of causes. Hearing loss is not just limited to deafness. It is possible to have a hearing loss without being completely deaf.

Deafness is a condition where there is no longer any hearing at all. The condition is usually accompanied by a lack of speech comprehension, lip-reading skills, and the ability to communicate with others. This can be a very lonely condition.

On the other hand, hearing loss is generally easier to cope with, especially if it is only mild. Even if you do not understand the source of hearing loss, you can still live a normal life without it being an obstruction.

Hearing loss is usually characterized by the inability to hear certain sounds or sounds at certain frequencies. It could be that you can hear most sounds, but you cannot hear sounds that are higher or lower in frequency or loudness. Other people might have problems understanding you, especially if you have a hearing loss that is accompanied by a speech deficiency.

But what are the signs you might be losing your hearing?

If you’re in your 50s or older and you can answer “yes” to the following questions, then you may be suffering from hearing loss:

Do you find that people have to repeat themselves frequently?

If you find people have to repeat what they have said because you didn’t quite catch it the first time, this could be a sign of hearing loss. You may have trouble understanding words that are not loud enough, words spoken quickly, or words with certain intonations.

Do you have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds?

If you cannot hear high-pitched sounds, you may be suffering from hearing loss. You may have trouble hearing women’s voices, children’s voices, or even the sound of birds singing.

Are you having trouble hearing in noisy environments?

If you find yourself having trouble hearing in noisy environments, you may be having a hearing loss. This could be caused by a hearing loss in one or both ears. People with hearing loss usually have trouble hearing speech in noisy environments. It is difficult to distinguish between speech and background noise.

Do you have difficulty hearing speech on the phone?

People with hearing loss have trouble hearing speech on the phone. This is because the telephone is not a very effective way of transmitting sound. The telephone transmits sound as a series of electrical impulses, which are then converted into sound by your phone. The sound quality is often poor, especially in noisy environments, and people with hearing loss have trouble hearing speech on the phone.

Do you have difficulty hearing a person’s voice when they are speaking to you from another room?

People with hearing loss have trouble hearing a person’s voice when they are speaking to them from another room. This can be very frustrating for both parties when you are watching television, for example, and your family or friends are talking to you from another room.

Do you find yourself turning the volume up on the television?

If you find yourself turning the volume up on the television, you may have hearing loss. If you are watching a show with a lot of background noise, it can be hard to hear the dialogue of the actors. You might have trouble hearing a person speaking to you from another room.

If you have said “yes” to any of these questions, you might be losing your ability to hear. This doesn’t have to be alarming news, especially as there are so many different technologies that can help you.

A hearing aid is the simplest way to treat your hearing loss.

There are a number of different types of hearing aids available on the market, and all of them have their advantages and disadvantages. The most popular types of hearing aids are the in-the-ear (ITE) aids and the behind-the-ear (BTE) aids.

ITE aids are placed in the opening of the ear. The microphone is placed inside the ear canal. This type of hearing aid is best for people who have mild to moderate hearing loss. They are suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss in the ear with mild to moderate hearing loss in the opposite ear. 

For people who cannot use BTE hearing aids due to medical reasons or other considerations, an ITE hearing aid will be the better option. ITE hearing aids are suitable for all ages, from babies to the elderly.

BTE hearing aids are also placed in the opening of the ear, but they are placed behind the ear. The microphone is placed behind the ear and is connected to the hearing aid via a thin tube. This can be uncomfortable for some people. 

People who have a severe to profound hearing loss in one or both ears would benefit more from a BTE hearing aid. They are also suitable for people who cannot use ITE hearing aids due to medical reasons or other considerations. BTE hearing aids are suitable for all ages, from babies to the elderly.

To sum up

If you are the victim of hearing loss, you no longer have to be held back by it. You can do more than you ever thought possible. No matter which type of hearing aid you choose, you will be amazed at how much better your life will be.

So, what are you waiting for?

Don’t let your hearing loss hold you back any longer. You can have the life you have always wanted.