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How do I know if I have a hearing loss?
Do you have difficulty understanding conversation in a group of people or in a noisy place like a restaurant? Do you find yourself asking others to repeat themselves? Does it seem to you that some people mumble? Do you turn the TV up too loud for the comfort of your family members? Do you have trouble understanding whispers from those next to you or do you have trouble understanding voices from across the room? Do you have difficulty understanding women or children? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, then you likely have a hearing loss. You should have an audiologist test your hearing.
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I have been told that I have "nerve deafness" and that nothing can help me. Is this true?
Nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, "nerve deafness" is a misnomer. Hearing loss that occurs with increasing age or from hereditary factors is rarely caused by a deterioration of the hearing nerve, but is caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear or cochlea. The vast majority of successful hearing aid users have been told they had "nerve deafness" at one time or another. "Nerve deafness" is simply a term that has been used to label any type of hearing loss that cannot be treated by medicine or surgery.
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I am fairly certain that my husband has a hearing loss. How should I proceed?
The only professional trained in the measurement of hearing is an audiologist, so that should be your first stop. An audiologist has earned, at minimum, a Masters degree in Audiology from a University and he or she should be licensed by the State Board of Examiners. An audiologist will measure your husband’s hearing and will do all appropriate testing to determine if hearing aids might be of benefit. With today’s advanced technologies, the vast majority of hearing losses can be corrected with hearing aids. Only 20% of hearing losses in adults are caused by medical problems, but if indicated, an appropriate referral will be made for medical treatment.
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My mother has become very hard of hearing but refuses to admit it or to do anything about it. How can I encourage her to get tested?
Hearing loss often occurs very gradually and is a problem only in certain listening conditions. It is easy for the listener to blame background noise, room acoustics or the speaking characteristics of others for inability to hear clearly. It is hard for many to accept that the problem is theirs and not the speaker’s. It may be useful to sit down with your mother and share with her how frustrating her hearing loss is for you. You have to get her attention before you can speak to her. You cannot talk to her from another room. She is always asking you to repeat what you say. It is just plain hard work to communicate with her and that makes visiting a chore.
Many people don’t realize what an imposition their hearing losses are for friends and family members and end up socially isolated as a result. Approach your mother’s hearing loss from the standpoint that you would like to be able to visit with her more freely, and that might persuade her to seek help. Offer to make her an appointment with an audiologist and then go with her. Your audiologist is trained to counsel those with hearing loss and help them deal with their feelings of denial.
Many people still feel that the use of hearing aids creates a stigma associated with aging and/or disability. It sometimes helps to point out that the stigma of appearing inattentive, self centered or just plain dumb is much worse than the "stigma" of hearing loss. The successful use of hearing aids is very common. Patients usually find that the benefits of better hearing outweigh their concerns that someone will see their hearing aids.
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How is hearing tested? Does it hurt?
Many methods have been developed to assess hearing ability, but the most common and the most reliable test has been the pure tone audiogram. Earphones will be placed on your ears and you will be asked to listen for a series of beeping tones that sound rather like notes on a piano. You will be asked to respond when you hear these sounds by raising your hand or pushing a button. Your audiologist will determine the softest volume that you can hear for a variety of tones from very low to very high pitched, and the results will be recorded on a graph called an audiogram. The entire test is performed in a quiet environment so that your test results may be compared to what is normal for human beings. You will also be asked to repeat a series of one syllable words to determine how well you understand what you hear. Sometimes this test is repeated in the presence of background noise.
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What is the best hearing aid?
This is similar to asking what is the best car! Hearing aids, like eye glasses, must be fit to your particular hearing loss. One hearing aid will not fit everybody. There are about thirty manufacturers of hearing aids all over the world. We believe it is best to consult with an audiologist who is not restricted to sales of only one brand because he or she is then free to choose the best solution for your needs from all manufacturers.
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My aunt’s hearing aid whistles much of the time. What causes this and what can we do to make it stop?
Whistling, or feedback, is a very common symptom of a poorly fit hearing aid. The hearing aid’s job is to amplify sounds not heard well by the user. If the amplified sound coming out of a hearing aid gets picked up by its microphone rather than going down the ear canal, feedback will occur. It is necessary to isolate the microphone from the ear canal with a custom fitted earmold. A whistling hearing aid is caused either by an earmold that does not fit the ear snugly or by an earmold that is not properly seated in the ear canal.
If a significant hearing loss exists, the hearing aid user will not hear that feedback but it is mighty annoying to anyone nearby! A visit to your audiologist is in order to take new ear impressions or to get instruction on proper insertion of the hearing aid into the ear canal.
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Why do hearing aids vary so much in cost?
As with automobiles, it’s what’s "under the hood" that determines cost. The most expensive hearing aid circuitry is digital or programmable, while the simplest Class A circuits are fairly inexpensive. Generally you get what you pay for. Digital circuits contain a computer that allows the audiologist to program literally hundreds of adjustments into your hearing aids. Digital hearing aids produce the best sound quality available today and are upgradeable should your hearing change.
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Will I become dependent upon my hearing aids?
We certainly hope so! If properly fitted, hearing aids will not make your hearing any worse, nor will they prevent your hearing from deteriorating naturally. Once accustomed to listening with hearing aids, most people do find they are somewhat "lost" without them and put them on along with eyeglasses each morning. You will probably find that you will be less fatigued by social gatherings and long conversations than you were before acquiring your hearing aids. A "dependence" upon hearing aids is no different than a "dependence" on eyeglasses. If you need them to hear and see clearly, become dependent on them!
© 2000 Speech & Hearing Clinic of Huntsville
info@hearingandspeechclinic.com
303 Williams Avenue, Suite 1111
Huntsville, AL 35801
phone: 256.536.7405
fax: 256.536.7416