In some cases, it’s easy to identify when you require medical help. You know you need to go to the doctor right away if you break your leg, for example. You might need a splint or a cast or supportive device, but the point is that you’re not likely to try “toughing it out”. If you want your bones to heal correctly, you need to get them taken care of as soon as you can.
It’s not always that obvious in terms of hearing aids, though. Hearing loss is typically a developing condition. That means it isn’t always easy to know when you may need to begin using hearing aids or to put off seeking treatment you know could be helpful.
So watching out for signs that your hearing is going is a good idea. If you notice any, it may be time to consult us about your first set of hearing aids.
Hearing aids and hearing loss
Hearing aids are the primary form of treatment for hearing loss. But that doesn’t mean everyone who has hearing loss will immediately need a set of hearing aids. Hearing aids won’t always be helpful in cases of minor hearing loss. We might want you to hold off on using hearing aids because of this. In addition, you may be directed to wear hearing aids only in specific situations.
Essentially, the threshold for requiring hearing aids is not always a diagnosis of hearing loss.
But in many instances hearing aids will be the best solution. Many individuals won’t get their hearing loss diagnosed until it becomes more serious because hearing loss develops gradually and frequently goes unnoticed for a while. But if you come in to see us regularly, you might be able to catch your hearing loss early, and, because of this, you might not require hearing aids immediately.
So how will you know if you have hearing loss?
You need hearing aids if you recognize these signs
Hearing loss is one of those conditions that can produce instant communication difficulties. The funny thing, though, is that you don’t always comprehend that those communication difficulties are due to hearing loss. So, when is it time for a hearing aid?
Look out for these signs:
- The volume on your devices is getting really loud: Hearing loss could be the cause if you continually need to turn the volume of your devices up. If you find people around you complaining about the high volume of your devices, this is especially relevant.
- You’re unable to understand people on the phone: Even the best phone speakers have a habit of flattening a voice. If you have hearing loss, this can make it even more difficult to understand conversations. It can be extremely challenging to hear voices as an outcome of the loss of these frequencies.
- You have a tough time following conversations in noisy places: When people ask, “What are the signs of hearing loss?”, this one is almost always mentioned. One of the surest signs of hearing loss is that you have trouble 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. Because of this, there’s a lot of muddled conversations.
- You have trouble understanding what people are saying: Many individuals don’t think they have hearing loss or need hearing aids because the overall volume they hear seems fine. But hearing loss is curious, it tends to affect particular frequencies before others. Due to this, things like vowel sounds in the higher register can sound distorted. Consequently, you might have a difficult time understanding what people are saying to you.
So how should you deal with it?
When you break a bone, it’s obvious what to do: you go see the doctor! But what about when you notice these indications that you might need a hearing aid? How bad does hearing loss have to be to call for a hearing aid? Well, that’s hard to answer, but when you start noticing these signs, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with us. We’ll be able to evaluate the health of your hearing and determine just how severe your hearing loss may or may not be.
And if you do end up needing hearing aids, a hearing assessment will help determine the best device for your hearing needs. 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.
Call us for a hearing test so we can help you improve your quality of life.