According to the National Council on Aging, one in three people age 65 to 74 has difficulty hearing. Common among older adults, key indicators of hearing loss may include listening to the TV or radio at high volumes, or asking people to repeat themselves in conversation.
Educating yourself on the signs of hearing loss can help empower you to seek medical attention if you start experiencing it yourself. Or, if you are concerned about a loved one’s hearing, identifying symptoms can be the first step in connecting them to help.
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Is Hearing Loss Normal?
Despite its prevalence, Dr. Sonia Seghal, a geriatrician at UCI Health, says that hearing loss is not inevitable for all older adults. Every individual is different, so some are at a higher risk than others. Further, progressive hearing loss has been associated with both preventable and non-preventable risk factors, including low education, hypertension, higher diastolic blood pressure, family history, age and sex. To an extent, you may be able to fight hearing loss by taking care of your body. But you may also be limited by factors outside of your control.
Regardless of how you lost your hearing, your experience with hearing loss is valid and worthy of medical attention. Consider seeing your doctor for a hearing test or to talk about whether or not hearing aids are right for you.
Seghal encourages people with hearing loss to utilize hearing aids, as these tools may support your ear health, bolster your social confidence and improve your quality of life. They may also give you a reason to turn down that way-too-loud TV.
“I encourage people with hearing loss to strongly consider hearing aids,” Seghal says. “People with untreated hearing impairment often slowly start to limit social interactions, which are so important to well-being.”
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What Are the Signs You Need a Hearing Aid?
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of hearing loss, you may benefit from a hearing aid. Some people notice hearing deficiencies on their own, while others are made aware by a friend or loved one.
“In my experience, it is most often the loved one alerting the patient and us of the need for an evaluation,” Seghal says. “That’s because loved ones may be privy to signs of hearing loss that are easier to overlook in oneself,” she adds.
Additionally, signs and symptoms of age-related hearing loss can come off as subtle at first, then increase in intensity over time.
“Age-related hearing loss often develops gradually, so individuals may not notice it immediately,” says Dr. Marisa Rogers, the Chief Medical Officer at Oak Street Health, a healthcare organization in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, that predominantly serves older adults. “This is why knowing the signs and severity of hearing loss is important.”
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Signs of hearing loss include:
— Listening to the television or radio at a louder volume than other people
— Struggling to decipher conversations in loud environments, like restaurants
— Relying on lip-reading to understand conversations
— Struggling to understand a conversation if not looking directly at the person who is speaking, such as when they turn their head in the conversation
— Problems hearing phone conversations
— Noticing fluid or feeling pressure in your ears
— Hearing ringing in your ears
— Having trouble hearing high-pitched noises
— Noticing that sounds are muffled or unclear
— Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
“Mild hearing struggles might mean occasionally asking people to repeat themselves, turning up the volume of your phone ringer or not noticing some high-pitched sounds,” Rogers says. “Hearing loss becomes a more serious challenge when it begins to interfere with daily life.”
Hearing loss can interfere with everyday life if it causes pain in your ears or causes you to miss important conversations or social moments with loved ones. Studies have also linked hearing loss to an increased risk of dementia.
To keep greater interferences at bay, Rogers encourages people to seek out an evaluation from their doctor.
“If you are regularly missing conversations and experience uncomfortable pressure in the ears, leaving you frustrated, it may be time to get tested and learn the extent of your hearing loss,” Rogers says.
Seghal also emphasizes the importance of medical attention, adding that “a simple hearing test can help to determine if you will benefit from a hearing aid.”
What Is a Hearing Test?
Hearing tests are medical assessments that evaluate your hearing health. These tests are typically conducted by ear, nose and throat doctors — also known as ENTs — or audiologists. When administering a hearing test, your doctor will look at various metrics in your ear — including measuring ear wax buildup — to determine the severity of your hearing loss and what type of hearing aid you may need.
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Do You Need to See a Doctor to Get a Hearing Aid?
If you’re struggling with hearing loss, it can be helpful to see your doctor for extra support. However, you do not need to see a doctor to get a hearing aid. Adults 18 and over with mild to moderate hearing loss can purchase hearing aids over-the-counter without seeing a doctor or receiving an official examination. If you have more severe hearing loss, however, you will need a doctor’s prescription for your device. Children also require a doctor’s prescription for hearing aids.
How Do Hearing Aids Help With Hearing?
Hearing aids are comprised of a three-part system that includes a microphone, amplifier and speaker.
“Hearing aids work by magnifying sound vibrations in your ear to help make those sounds clearer,” Rogers says. “The amplifier then increases the electrical signals and sends them to your ear through the speaker, allowing sounds to be heard more clearly.
She adds that hearing aids can take some time to get used to, and some people who are getting hearing aids for the first time “may go through an adjustment period.”
If you notice that your hearing aids are eliciting whistling sounds, picking up feedback or strange background noises, your audiologist can help you with your device, Rogers says.
Clearing Up Hearing Aid Misconceptions
Some people hold stigmas about hearing aids, such as that they are unattractive or make the wearer look older than they are. While old-fashioned hearing aids are more noticeable, technological advances have ushered in a variety of shapes and sizes of hearing aids. Often, you can choose whether you want to wear a hearing aid that makes a bold statement or prefer something discreet. Seghal encourages people not to let outdated stereotypes stop them from purchasing a hearing aid to support their health.
“Hearing aids come in many different forms,” she says. “Some are so small, they are hardly visible.”
Fashion preferences aside, make sure you check your price point and insurance coverage before making a big splurge. Staying on top of servicing appointments is also smart to ensure you make the most out of your investment.
Additionally, Rogers says she likes to remind patients that hearing aids are not exclusively for older adults and can benefit people of all ages.
What Are Some Alternatives to Hearing Aids?
Not everyone needs to wear hearing aids. If you have mild hearing loss and are looking for an alternative solution, Seghal says options exist.
Some hearing aid alternatives include:
— Personal amplification systems: These are wearable electronic devices that boost sounds for people with normal hearing (like for birdwatching) or mild hearing loss, offering an affordable alternative to traditional hearing aids by amplifying ambient noise through microphones and speakers, reducing background noise and improving clarity for conversations or in noisy environments, with options ranging from simple pocket devices to sophisticated earbuds.
— Alternative assistive listening devices: These devices can work alongside your hearing aids. Some can connect wirelessly to technology like phones and TVs. They make all sounds louder, but they don’t help with other hearing problems like tinnitus.
— Apple AirPods: Some versions provide sound amplification.
Tips for Protecting Your Hearing
There are many ways you can protect your hearing — whether you are currently experiencing hearing loss or if hearing loss has yet to occur.
According to Seghal, some ear-healthy habits you can incorporate into your life include:
— Avoid exposure to continuous loud noises.
— Wear earplugs at concerts or music venues.
— Monitor the volume on your headphones — and lower your volume if your device sends you a noise alert.
— Talk to your doctor about medications you are taking and the extent to which these can impact your hearing health.
— Refrain from sticking objects into your ear, including Q-tips or cotton swabs.
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Signs You Need a Hearing Aid originally appeared on usnews.com