May is Better Hearing and Speech Month

Each May, Better Hearing and Speech Month raises awareness about hearing loss, communication, and speech-language disorders which impact more than 14 million Americans. 

Over 20 percent of American adults have, at one point in their lives, experienced serious difficulties when it came to their hearing. The inability to hear can affect a person’s emotional and physical health, in addition to their education, social, employment, and daily life.    

Hearing Loss Affects People of all Ages

The Center for Hearing Loss and Communication has estimated that 48 million Americans are affected by hearing loss. Hearing loss can be detected at birth or occur at any age. 

Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent communication disorders in elderly adults. About one in three adults who are 65 to 74 years old have hearing loss. Almost half of adults who are over 75 are affected by hearing loss. Hearing loss can cause feelings of isolation from your family, friends, and the community. Hearing aids and assistive listening devices can help to improve the life of a person with a hearing impairment, but only one out of four adults (who are at least 20 years of age) who would benefit from using hearing aids actually use them.

Reasons for the lack of usage in hearing aids among those with hearing loss vary from feelings of social stigma to discomfort due to a poorly fit hearing device. 

Recognizing Symptoms of Hearing Loss 

Prior to getting hearing loss treatment, you must accept the fact that you have a hearing condition that interferes with how you communicate with others. Hearing loss generally develops gradually, so it is difficult to identify whether you are experiencing it. 

Here are some distinct signs of hearing loss:  

• People frequently ask you to turn down the volume on the TV, computer, or radio because it’s too loud.
• People sound as though they are mumbling.
• You are constantly asking people to repeat themselves.  
• If someone is calling or talking to you from an angle that is not directly in front of you, you have difficulty hearing them.
• You have difficulty communicating in groups of people, no matter how many people there are.
• You have difficulty hearing if there is too much background noise. 
• You have difficulty hearing the doorbell or the phone ring.
• Family members, friends, and colleagues notice and address your hearing loss to you.
• All of your concentration is focused on listening to someone talk at a soft or normal tone, which causes fatigue.
• You rely on lip-reading when people talk to you.

  
What Can Happen when Hearing Loss goes Untreated

If you, or your loved ones, have observed these signs, you may have also noticed that your social life is suffering due to problems related to communication and hearing. You may stop socializing in order to avoid an embarrassing moment where you may mishear or not be able to hear others. This can create tension between you and your family and friends. Hearing loss can lead to poor work performance, which can lower your salary and cause employers to not value you as much as other employees. As a result, these struggles with communication can cause feelings of depression, insecurity, and isolation. Hearing loss has also been associated with dementia.        
 
Getting Treatment

Hearing loss can be treated. The Better Hearing Institute has indicated that 95 percent of Americans who have hearing loss can benefit from using hearing aids. Hearing aids help make sounds easier for your brain to interpret and understand. Today’s hearing aid devices not only provide better hearing but are functional for everyday usage when it comes to streaming phone calls, music and TV.   

If you suffer from hearing loss, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free hearing test and consultation for the best options that we have available for you! 
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Pure Sound services will only be available by appointment and for essential visits at this time. Essential visits include all appointments that require repairs, re-fittings and new hearing aid fittings. If you are having any problems with your hearing aids, or need supplies for your hearing aids, please call us before visiting one of our offices. ​

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