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Do I Need Hearing Aids?
Sound advice
Hearing is one of our most precious senses: It allows us to communicate with family and friends, and keeps us in contact with the sounds of life that surround us 24-hours a day. Unfortunately, most of us don't realize how important hearing is until hearing problems begin to affect our everyday lives.
Hearing loss is an invisible handicap which can have far-reaching social and psychological effects. So, if you think you have a hearing problem, do something about it!
One out of every ten suffers from daily frustration
Approximately ten per cent of the world population suffers from daily frustrations and embarrassments resulting from a loss of hearing. They miss important conversations, misunderstand questions, and, as a result, withdraw from social situations. The sad fact is that much of this suffering is needless and stems from the abundance of mis-information about hearing loss to which the public is exposed. If you or someone yo know has a hearing loss, read on. You'll be glad you did.
Do I have a hearing problem?
In most cases, the loss on one's hearing is a very gradual process which takes place over many years. Because there is no sudden change, most people do not become aware of the problem until it is severe enough to cause communication difficulties in their everyday lives.
There are, however, some early signs of hearing loss which you can look for. For example, are simple conversations with family, friends, and business associates becoming more difficult? Since a majority of hearing problems begin in the higher tones, you may first notice the hearing problem when there are many people talking at the same time or when there are high levels of background noise to contend with. In such situations, you might find yourself saying, “I can hear but I don't understand the words”. With increased hearing loss, listening under such conditions becomes more and more difficult until you give up and withdraw from those situations.
There are other “clues” that suggest a hearing loss may exist. It is very common that your family and friends will notice the presence of hearing problems before you do. Ask yourself how many times you've said, “my wife/husband complains that I don't listen to her/him” or “they say I turn the TV up too loud”. How many times have you muttered, “people just don't speak clearly anymore.... everyone mumbles”.
These are some of the early signs of hearing loss. Of course, the only sure way to determine if a problem exists is to seek the assistance of hearing health-care professionals.
What's wrong with my hearing?
Our hearing mechanism is a very complex and delicate system, composed of three basic parts: The outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear.
The cause of a hearing loss can be located in any part of the system. Problems of the outer and middle ear cause a “conductive” hearing loss. This simply means that something is blocking the sound from being effectively conducted to the inner ear.
Some of the causes of a conductive hearing loss are:
- Wax blocking the ear canal
- A hole (perforation) in the eardrum
- An infection in the middle ear
A hearing problem caused by damage to the inner ear is called a “nerve type” or “sensori-neural” hearing loss. The most common culprit in inner ear hearing problems is aging: Our ears do not escape the changes that occur throughout the body as we grow older.
Another cause of sensori-neural hearing loss is long-term exposure to loud noise. Hearing problems caused by inner ear damage are usually not medically treatable. In such cases, the most appropriate and effective means of dealing with the problem is with the use of a hearing aid.
What can be done?
A hearing aid can be fitted specifically to your kind of hearing loss and thus help you get more enjoyment out of life again by hearing the sounds that make up our daily lives.
Is hearing aid a “dirty word”?
You may have come across people who have hearing aids and are not happy with them. These people are often quite vocal concerning their dissatisfaction, and, as a result, the idea of using a hearing aid may not appeal to you. You may think that a hearing aid is not a solution to your problem. But deciding not to wear glasses because you neighbor doesn't like them -- that's a mistake!
Today's hearing aids are highly sophisticated, technical devices. With the recent advances in hearing aid technology and the increased knowledged and skills of professionals prescribing hearing aids, there are very few hearing impaired individuals who cannot benefit from the use of a hearing aid.