I recall playing “would you rather” as a child, and was often asked if I would rather lose my vision or my hearing. NEITHER! I remember thinking. I couldn’t live without being able to listen to music or see my friends. Through the years, I’ve come to appreciate so much more. Loud sounds, like a roaring crowd cheering on our teams in the postseason, live music that you can feel flowing through your veins, and celebrations like weddings where I can reconnect with family whom I haven’t seen in a while. Soft sounds, like a baby cooing as they wake up from a nap, wind rustling through the trees on a scenic walk in the woods, or secret messages passed between me and my husband that are meant for our ears alone. There are so many sounds connecting me to the world around me.
So why do I so often hear from patients that they don’t want to hear what anyone has to say anyway? Has it been so long since they have been able to successfully communicate at a party or enjoy the feeling of wanting to dance to live music? Did things change so slowly that they didn’t realize they could no longer hear the leaves or the birdsong? Or that their whispers are now loud enough for the next table over to join the conversation?
At what point do we begin to notice the changes in our hearing, if we ever do at all?
People often report that they don’t want to come to their audiologist because they don’t want to “find out” they have hearing loss. If you think you would know if you had a hearing loss, you may want to think again. If you think only people of a certain age have hearing loss, you may be surprised at what that age is.
There are signs that we can look out for in ourselves or our loved ones that may indicate the beginning of hearing loss.
1. Using only speakerphone. We hear better with two ears than one. When we begin to lose our hearing, we ensure the best listening outcome by using both ears.
2. Sitting on your good side. If one ear is stronger than the other, we often position others on the side of the stronger ear. Having a better ear often masks the hearing deficit in the poorer ear.
3. Turning up the volume. TVs and radios can be turned up until they are nice and comfortably loud, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they get any clearer or easier to understand. A typical age-related hearing loss affects our consonant sounds and clarity rather than our vowel sounds or volume. Louder volume does not equal better clarity.
4. Changing the plan. You still enjoy being social, but no longer want to go to certain restaurants because they are too loud. You may opt for a quieter dinner environment with booth seating, or recommend going to lunch or breakfast instead.
5. Withdrawing from situations. Finding it frustrating to sit through an event where everyone seems to be mumbling? It’s easier to just not go and avoid the frustration. This may start in smaller less-noticeable ways, like staying home from a wedding that is somewhat far away anyway. The more you do this, the more it is reinforced, and the easier it becomes to decline future invitations.
6. Anger, Frustration, Blame. Hearing loss is one of the only problems we have that we blame others for. “Young children aren’t taught how to speak clearly anymore”, “My wife insists on talking to me from 3 rooms away”, “My son will talk to me while I’m washing dishes and the TV is on, and I just can’t concentrate”. We, unfortunately, cannot control how others speak. While all of these claims may have truth to them, a person with normal hearing does not have to do as much work to decipher what is being said as a person with hearing loss.
Do any of these situations sound familiar to you, whether for yourself or a family member? If you haven’t gotten a baseline hearing test, it’s a great idea to get one while the hearing is still good! Who doesn’t like to receive good news from the doctor? Your future self will thank you for making the appointment. Call us today!
