In America nearly 40 million people have hearing loss. There’s a good chance that either you or someone in your family is struggling to hear, so you might think you know all there is to know about hearing loss. But how many of these common hearing myths did you think where true?
Myth: I’d Know If I had Hearing Loss
You may think hearing loss would be obvious to you. They’re your ears after all, aren’t they? However, you might be the last person to recognize your hearing loss. Hearing loss can be very sudden, like when you’re exposed to an extremely loud sound. More often, hearing loss is a gradual process, and this sensorineural hearing loss is just a part of the natural aging process. The daily changes can be so small that you might not realize that your hearing is getting worse! If your family has noticed changes in your hearing, you should pay attention to them, and get your hearing tested. Other early warning signs to watch out for are turning up the TV volume higher than normal or struggling to follow conversations in noisy environments.
Myth: Only Seniors have Hearing Loss
It’s true that many seniors have hearing loss. By the age of 70, more than half of the population struggles to hear. That doesn’t mean that only seniors have hearing loss. Adults risk hearing loss from illness or injury, and often damage their hearing in dangerously loud work environments. Young people also risk hearing loss due to ear infections or unsafe listening practices when using personal listening devices. One study found that more than 6 million U.S. teenagers have hearing loss!
Myth: Hearing Loss Can’t Be Prevented
Hearing can deteriorate with age, and normal wear and tear on your ears can take its toll later in life. However, hearing loss can also be caused by sound, and noise induced hearing loss is completely preventable. To protect your ears and your hearing, avoid exposure to loud sounds. Wear ear protection whenever you’re in a noisy environment, and leave the area whenever possible. How loud is too loud? A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t easily have a conversation with a person standing 3 feet away form you, it’s too loud, and you should both be wearing hearing protection.
Myth: I Don’t Need Hearing Aids Yet
If you have mild hearing loss, you might be tempted to put off treating your hearing loss. You may not think it’s too serious, and that you don’t need hearing aids just yet. Choosing to live with untreated hearing loss, even if it is mild, can lead to some serious consequences. Mild hearing loss can interfere with your ability to perform your job and makes it harder to communicate with coworkers, friends, and loved ones. You’ll soon notice that your relationships suffer, and you may start to face social isolation as you struggle to follow conversations. Those who don’t treat their hearing loss are at a much higher risk of anxiety, depression, and dementia.
Myth: Hearing Aids Restore Hearing
Hearing technology is truly remarkable, but even the most advanced hearing aids can never fully restore hearing. Once hearing is lost it’s gone forever, which is why it’s so important to treat hearing loss early and safeguard the hearing you still have. While hearing aids don’t restore your hearing, they do give you back the ability to hearing the sounds you’ve been missing, communicate easily, and do all the things you love. Today’s devices are like mini-computers, that can run advanced programs and settings to help you hear. Many devices feature full connectivity, so you can effortlessly stream audio from your phone, computer, or TV right to your ears for the best in hearing and amplification.If you have hearing loss, visit us today at Atlanta Hearing Doctor for a hearing test. We’ll determine you level of hearing loss and discuss your treatment options. Our devices are from the world’s top hearing aid manufacturers, and we have a wide range of styles to fit every lifestyle. From sleek behind the ear devices to tiny hearing aids that sit within your ear canal, we have the hearing device that’s right for you.
