Hearing loss is a common occurrence, being the third most frequent health problem in the U.S. But it is treatable and more successful when started early. If you think you have hearing loss, there are 10 reasons you should get a hearing test:
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1. The Mayo Clinic encourages baseline hearing tests for adults.
2. Be proactive because you care about your health and want a quality life.
3. Treated hearing loss impacts earning power in a positive way.
4. You could develop dementia with untreated hearing loss.
5. Hearing tests are painless, take less than hour, and are often free.
6. Getting hearing aids lessens cognitive decline.
7. Your hearing test may be normal.
8. Hearing loss may indicate diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
9. You might get depressed or become socially isolated with untreated hearing loss.
10. You might have increased incidents of falling with hearing loss.
    
    

Don't miss out on time with your grandchildren. They are beautiful and you will want to hear every word.

If you suspect you have hearing loss, contact your hearing instrument specialist at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for the best free test.

According to the Better Hearing Institute, people with hearing problems who use hearing aids get more satisfaction in doing things and are more likely to socialize and exercise. Wearing hearing aids boosts positive feelings, improves the quality of life, can help to improve balance, and has a positive impact on relationships.

Feeling motivated becomes a key factor in wearing hearing aids. You have a higher quality of life. There are many benefits to seeking hearing loss treatment and getting hearing aids.

For more information on hearing aids, please contact your hearing instrument specialist at Pure Sound Hearing Aids.

Part 1: Determining if there is a hearing loss problem

Someone with hearing loss commonly refuses to acknowledge the problem before anyone else. Close friends, children, and siblings are among the first ones to identify the problem. If you suspect someone close to you has signs of hearing loss, below are some ways you can tell if there’s a serious problem.

Just a challenge or signs of hearing loss?

• There might not be a reason for concern if your loved one has to have you repeat yourself because you are talking over the sound of the television. However, there is cause for concern if your loved one has the volume turned up so high it hurts your ears.

 

• It could just be a temporary distraction if your friend forgets to shut off the turn signal in the car. However, if your friend doesn’t hear a blaring police siren until it is behind him or her, there is cause for concern.

 

• If your co-worker pulls the wrong file because the name you asked for doesn’t sound clear enough once in a while, that might not be a problem. However, if your co-worker constantly makes this mistake and his or her competence is being questioned by others, it is a cause for concern.

Don’t be caught off guard if your loved one, friend, or co-worker denies there is a problem with a difficulty in hearing. However, don’t let the subject go; hearing loss is life changing on many levels. Social isolation may occur, which may lead to depression or dementia. It may also affect your loved one’s job, if he or she isn’t already fired. Also, be cognizant of the fact that the hearing loss may be an indicator of some underlying problem like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. It is imperative that you don’t just brush off the symptoms of hearing loss or let your loved one do that, either.

Part 2: Time to get hearing aids?

Above, the discussion was about determining if hearing loss is a factor in your loved one’s life. Now, it is time to discuss how you can gently discuss your loved one getting an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist to have his or her hearing tested. Here’s what you should do:

• Confront excuses - Don’t let your loved one pass off the hearing loss as someone else just mumbling instead of being heard. Trouble understanding speech at a normal or louder volume is part of hearing loss. It is even worse for your loved one in a noisy environment. You can let your loved one know that hearing aids don’t just make everything louder; they also clarify speech and help eliminate background noise.

 

• Address quality of life - Mental and physical health are affected by untreated hearing loss, according to studies. The mental effects can be linked to depression, stress, and anxiety, while the physical effects can be linked to cardiovascular disease, risk of falling, diabetes, and dementia. So, be clear about how hearing aids are more than just about hearing. It’s not just a nice idea to treat hearing loss; it’s imperative.

 

• Be honest  - Many times people with hearing loss think getting hearing aids will make them look old. But explain that wearing discreet hearing aids and conversing normally in a crowd actually does the opposite. It’s when people have to ask others to repeat themselves or they can’t participate in a conversation that makes people look old. No one cares if someone has to wear hearing aids or will probably even notice.

 

• Explain the cool technology - There are innovations with hearing aids. Smart hearing aids are able to recognize many listening situations, like being outside in the wind, in a car, or in a crowd. Seamlessly, the devices adapt their performance to a situation and can even learn a hearing aid wearer’s listening choices. Advanced wireless technology makes it so that hearing aids work together as one system to provide clarity and to adjust volume. High-tech Signia hearing aids are clinically proven to produce better than normal hearing in challenging situations and reduce listening efforts. Let you loved one know that hearing aids are so smart now that they can be adjusted by app or remote control and stream sound from televisions, smartphones, Bluetooth®-enabled PCs, and more. The result is that the hearing aids are transformed into wireless headsets.

 

• Address any preconceptions - Many people with hearing loss think of hearing aids as the outdated ones of the past - large, beige, uncomfortable, squealing banana-shaped devices. Times have changed. Hearing aids fit discreetly behind or in the ear and can be adjusted to eliminate feedback. Even the ones you can see are more hip--sleeker, smaller, and stylish--with many colors available. They are so comfortable that a wearer forgets he or she is wearing them. Plus, the technology, as stated, is out of this world. So, the best thing you could do is compare wearing hearing aids with wearing glasses. Glasses used to be embarrassing, thick-framed, and clunky. Now, they are a fashion statement.

If you suspect a loved one has a hearing loss problem, please have him or her contact a hearing aid instrument specialist at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for help.

Hearing a conversation at the dinner table can pose a challenge with hearing loss. It also frustrates your loved ones, often leaving you feeling depressed and isolated. Missing conversations, especially with your immediate family during nightly meals or during major holiday gatherings is wearisome. You feel left out with jokes and family stories. Therefore, to help you hear better at the dinner table, try these five tips below.

Reduce the music’s volume

Music in the background while dining is nice, but it may be too loud and drown out conversations. Turn the music down. Competing sounds, including the television, only aggravate a situation. Turn off the music or television completely if possible.

Fix the lighting

​Reading lips is a way someone with hearing loss adapts to hearing conversations. But poor lighting will make it more difficult to do. Change the angle of the lighting fixture or turn up the light at the dinner table to better view your family’s lips moving.  

Put your back to the wall

Your placement at the table can determine how well you hear what’s being said. Keep your back to a wall to block out any excessive background noise.

Vocalize your needs

Ask your family to repeat things, instead of just going along with what’s being said. If you are a guest at someone else’s house, tell them you have hearing problems in advance. You can then inform them of what ways they can make sure you can hear.

Schedule a hearing test

If hearing is a problem, schedule an appointment to get your hearing tested. A hearing specialist can determine your hearing levels and find you the best hearing aids, so you can enjoy conversations again. Even normal hearing is challenged by all the noise during holiday gatherings, but a struggle to hear on an everyday basis is a cause for concern and is a call to action. The five tips above, in the meantime, can help you hear the important things. However, to be sure you have the best hearing, contact a hearing instrument specialist at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for more help.

Everyone takes their hearing for granted until they start having difficulty understanding normal conversations or detecting sounds of differing frequencies. Many times, you are not even aware your hearing is impaired because hearing loss happens so gradually and unobtrusively. It slowly worsens over the years without producing any perceptible symptoms. 

For some seniors, it may be hard to admit they are having difficulty hearing. Age-related hearing loss is especially difficult to come to terms with. Wrinkled skin can be smoothed by injections, and laser-assisted body sculpting can give you a youthful figure. Hearing loss due to aging, however, is irreversible. 

​Hearing Loss and Seniors

First of all, be aware that people over 65 are a stoic group of people who lived in a time when admitting you had physical issues was a sign of weakness. 

Many seniors may also think hearing aids are big, bulky devices that are uncomfortable and protrude visibly from the ear. They may not have taken the time to investigate today's tiny, microchip hearing aids — some no bigger than a dime. So be patient and compassionate when you bring up the subject of hearing loss for the first time. 

If you encounter resistance, wait until the moment arises when their hearing loss is evident — during a conversation, when watching television or even when driving. You might consider explaining that the inability to hear could lead to them losing their driver's license, failing to hear a train whistle or not hearing their home fire alarm go off when they are watching TV at a loud volume. 

Reassure them that hearing loss happens to just about everybody, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Let them know you are concerned about keeping their quality of life as high as possible and genuinely want them to enjoy every minute of family and holiday gatherings. Once you've gotten them talking about their hearing loss, bring the subject of hearing aids into the conversation by showing them images of the latest hearing aid models. 

Help for Parents Losing Hearing: State-of-the-Art Hearing Aids

Types of hearing aids include behind-the ear, mini behind-the-ear, in-the-ear and completely-in-the-canal. In addition, there are analog hearing aids that amplify all sounds by making consecutive sound waves louder. Some are programmable to allow for various listening environments. Digital hearing aids improve hearing by converting sound waves into digital sound signals that accurately duplicate the actual sounds. Hearing aids equipped with directional microphones can also help your parent engage in conversations in noisy environments.

To find the perfect hearing aid for your parent, contact us today, and we'll be happy to help.