About one in two adults over the age of 50 experience some degree of hearing loss. This comes as a surprise to most people who have lived with their hearing loss for years but having a hearing loss does not mean that you have lost your hearing completely. However, it may mean that you need to do something about it if you want to continue living the life you want.
Hearing loss can creep up gradually, without you realising it at first. Some sounds remain audible while others become softer and harder to hear. If you notice that you are having hearing issues, that communicating with others is becoming increasingly challenging and requires more effort, there are a number of choices you can make regarding your hearing loss.
The first and easiest step is to get your hearing tested. It is probably the easiest test you will ever take. A hearing test is quick, simple, and painless and in most cases the results are instant. We go to the dentist to take care of our teeth, the opticians for our eyes, but for some reason people can be a little reluctant to go to an audiologist to take care of their ears and their hearing. If you have any concerns about visiting an audiologist, read our September blog which focuses on what exactly you can expect from your first visit.
However, in this blog, we are going to take a look at how hearing loss impacts people and what you can do in order to limit this impact.
Have you ever thought about the importance of a voice to a person? A voice can be deeply moving, conveying thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Every spoken word consists of sounds and tones which create understanding and enable us to build and maintain relationships, connecting us to the world around us.
Imagine removing strings from a guitar and asking someone to play a well-known song. The chances are you will struggle to even recognise the song and it certainly wouldn’t sound right. That is similar to what a person living with hearing loss deals with and experiences each day. Regularly, certain frequencies and sounds are removed which results in the individual mishearing or feel as if people are mumbling.
Hearing is very often taken for granted until you begin having an issue. The deterioration of a person’s hearing can have a huge impact on an individual’s personal life as well as their work life and any social events or circles. There is an endless list of impacts hearing loss can cause, some people are surprised to learn that even tiredness can be an impact due to there being a requirement to concentrate far more to keep up with conversations and the people around them.
It is vitally important to understand hearing loss both for the individual themselves and their loved ones. If a deterioration in hearing is noticed, it’s highly recommended to discuss the issue with a friend or family member. If hearing loss is properly understood by the individuals themselves and the family, solutions can then be worked on together along with the help of professionals such as Audiology Medical Services.
Evidence shows that people who take active steps to manage their hearing loss experience many benefits.
They are able to maintain their independence more easily, and if they have other health problems, they are better able to understand and follow their health professional’s advice and take an active part in managing their condition.
There is also some evidence that those who treat their hearing loss are less prone to some mental health problems such as depression. Of course, you can choose to do nothing, but many people find that hearing aids or other methods to aid communication are very beneficial.
There are a range of options you can choose to help deal with your hearing loss and limit its impact. At a basic level a hearing instrument or hearing aid is an electronic, battery-operated device that amplifies sound for the user. A digital device is programmed with the results of your hearing test, so it is fitted specifically to you.
Digital aids improve sound quality, particularly speech sounds, however, in a noisy setting, listening to a speaker or having a conversation using a hearing aid in isolation can often prove frustrating and downright impossible. Nevertheless, we can combat this issue at Audiology Medical Services. We offer several different accessories to boost your hearing device. Phonak’s Roger accessories will increase your participation in loud settings depending on your individual needs.
The Roger Pen is another stylish accessory that is beautifully designed with discretion in mind. Aiding speech in noise and from a distance, the microphone can transmit a speaker’s voice to your hearing device from as far away as 20 metres. This makes it an ideal tool for use in business meetings, college lectures, an exercise class or simply in a noisy restaurant setting. Featuring Bluetooth connectivity, it also enables the user to connect phone calls and stream multimedia such as music and TV. Other Roger accessories include a Touchscreen Mic, Table Mic and clip on mic.
Audiology Medical Services
If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one’s hearing, we are here to help you through this challenging process and help limit the impact it makes on your life. To make an appointment to talk to one of Audiology Medical Services’ clinically trained professional audiologists, available at clinics nationwide, freephone 1800 501 501.
0 Comments
Add Comment