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Hearing loss FAQs

How can I recognize hearing problems?

Most of the time hearing problems begin gradually without discomfort or pain. What's more, family members often learn to adapt to someone’s hearing loss without even realizing they are doing it. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine whether you have hearing loss.

  • Do I / they often ask people to repeat themselves?

  • Do I / they have trouble following conversations with more than two people?

  • Do I / they have difficulty hearing what is said unless facing the speaker?

  • Do I / they struggle to hear in crowded places like restaurants, malls and meeting rooms?

  • Do I / they have a hard time hearing women or children?

  • Do I / they prefer the TV or radio volume louder than others?

  • Do I / they experience ringing or buzzing in my ears?

  • Does it sound like other people are mumbling or slurring their words?

  • If you answered yes to several of these questions, chances are you suffer from hearing

 

What are the most common causes of hearing loss?

There are several causes. The main ones include excessive noise, genetics, birth defects, infections of the head or ear, aging, and reaction to drugs or cancer treatment. Each type of hearing loss has different causes.

 

Are there different types of hearing loss?

There are three types of hearing loss including: sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss and mixed hearing loss. Most people lose at least some degree of their hearing as they age, and by the time they reach age 65 and older, one in three people has some type of hearing impairment. 

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Who treats hearing loss?

  • Audiologists are professionals with master's degrees, Au.D.s or Ph.D.s in audiology, which is the study of hearing. They specialize in testing, evaluating and treating hearing loss. An audiologist may also fit hearing aids.

  • Hearing Aid Dispensers are trained in fitting and dispensing hearing aids. Hearing Aid Specialists are often state-licensed and board-certified to test for hearing loss and to fit consumers for hearing aids.

 

How will a hearing aid improve my quality of life?

Research on people with hearing loss and their significant others has shown that hearing aids play a significant factor in a person's social, emotional, psychological and physical well-being.

More specifically, treatment of hearing loss has been shown to improve:

  • Communication in relationships

  • Intimacy and warmth in family relationships

  • Ease in communication

  • Earning power

  • Sense of control over your life

  • Social participation

  • Emotional stability

 

How do I know which hearing aid will be best for me?

There are several factors that will determine which hearing aid will be the right one for you. They include the nature and severity of your hearing loss, your lifestyle and the activities you regularly enjoy, your job, your eyesight and dexterity, and the size and shape of your outer ear and inner ear canal.  Though ultimately your hearing professional should advise you as to the best choice for you

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Seeing a hearing doctor sooner is better

Over time, reduced stimulation to your ears and brain can actually impair the brain’s ability to process sound and recognize speech. The more speech recognition deteriorates, the more difficult it is to recover. When you can’t hear what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness suffers.

If you feel you or a loved one has an issue with hearing loss, the sooner you take action to contact a hearing doctor the sooner you put a stop to many negative effects possible from hearing loss. In not putting off contacting a hearing doctor, the sooner you or your loved one can begin to regain sharpness, confidence and control.

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