In some cases, it’s easy to know when you need medical advice. When you break a bone, for example, you know you should go to the doctor (or the emergency room, depending on the situation). You may need a splint or a cast or supportive device, but the point 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).
But with regard to hearing aids, it’s not always so easy to know when it’s time to get some assistance. Hearing loss normally progresses really gradually over time. This means knowing when to get treatment for hearing loss can be tricky.
That’s why it’s a good plan to watch out for some distinct indicators that you might be losing your ability to communicate. It’s likely time to call us for a consultation if you do detect any.
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 set of hearing aids. In cases where patients have very minor hearing loss, hearing aids won’t always be helpful. We may want you to hold off on using hearing aids as a result. Likewise, you might be directed to wear hearing aids only in particular situations.
This means that just because you’re diagnosed with hearing loss doesn’t mean you will necessarily need hearing aids.
However, hearing aids will be the best solution in many cases. Because hearing loss can be a sneaky and gradual condition, lots of individuals don’t get a diagnosis until there’s been significant damage. Getting your hearing tested regularly is the key to catching hearing loss early and possibly mitigating the need for hearing aids.
And if that’s the situation, you’re probably thinking: how can I tell if I need hearing aids?
You need hearing aids if you experience these indicators
Hearing loss is one of those conditions that can create instant communication problems. But a lot of times you don’t even realize that hearing loss is the cause of those communication issues. So, when is it time for a hearing aid?
Look out for these indicators:
- You listen to the radio or TV at really loud levels: Hearing loss could be the culprit if you continually need to crank the volume of your devices up. This is particularly true if you keep turning that volume knob higher (and even more especially relevant if the people around you complain about how loud your media is).
- When you’re in very loud locations, you have a difficult time following conversations: This is probably one of the most prevailing symptoms of hearing loss. One of the surest signs of hearing loss is that you have trouble following conversations in loud settings, like bars or restaurants. That’s because your brain has difficulty filling in the missing information that gets lost with hearing impairment. As a result, there’s a lot of muffled conversations.
- Phone conversations sound muddled: Voices typically sound a bit flat on even high-quality phone speakers. That can make it tough to understand, particularly if you have hearing loss. Once again, certain frequencies are missing and the outcome is that it’s really difficult to hear those voices.
- You have problems making out what people are saying: 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 tend to go before others. Which means that the vast majority of sounds could seem ordinary but things in the high frequencies (like particular vowels) will be distorted. This could cause you to have a hard time making out what people are saying.
So how should you deal with it?
Clearly, you know exactly what you have to do when you break a bone! But what about when you notice these signs that you may need a hearing aid? How bad does hearing loss need to be to require a hearing aid? That’s not a really easy answer but you should make an appointment with us for a hearing test if you begin to notice any hearing loss symptoms. We will be able to inform you about how severe your hearing loss is.
A hearing evaluation will also help you get the optimal hearing aids for your requirements if you do indeed need hearing aids. Then you will be able to get back to taking pleasure in good conversations with your friends and loved ones and doing the things you love.
Give us a call to schedule your hearing exam, we can help you recognize if you’re suffering from hearing loss.