Even though hearing loss is a common condition, there are many misconceptions about it. Unfortunately, these may be preventing people from getting the treatment they need.
More People Would Benefit from Hearing Aids
Only a fraction of people who would benefit from hearing aids actually use them. According to statistics from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), fewer than 30% of adults 70 and older who could benefit from hearing aids use them. Among adults aged 20-69, that number drops to roughly 16%.
While the reasons for this vary, some of the hesitancy towards getting help for hearing loss stems from misconceptions about hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Misconceptions
- Hearing loss is an inevitable part of getting older. It’s true that the risk of developing hearing loss increases as we age. However, some people take this to mean it’s an innocuous part of the aging process, similar to our hair turning grey, and therefore, nothing needs to be done. In reality, untreated hearing loss is associated with worsening physical, mental and cognitive health.
- Your hearing is fine; people are just mumbling. One of the first things affected during the early stages of hearing loss is your ability to understand speech. When people talk, it can often sound muffled or like they are mumbling, which makes it seem as though the person talking needs to speak more clearly. In reality, you aren’t picking up speech sounds the way you used to. You may find that this is particularly an issue in places with a lot of background noise, such as when dining out with friends at South Main Kitchen.
- You will know when you have hearing loss. Hearing loss often comes on very gradually. So gradually, in fact, that many people go years before realizing that they have a problem hearing. It can be very easy to miss or minimize early signs of hearing loss, so the best thing to do is be proactive about your hearing health and schedule a hearing test. This is especially important if you are over 50 or are regularly exposed to loud noise either at work or through hobbies. Not only does this let your audiologist detect hearing loss early, but it also establishes a baseline to compare to future tests, even if your hearing is currently in a normal range. If you have hearing loss, starting early treatment with hearing aids can help you communicate better with others and benefit your overall health.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, contact Advanced Hearing today.