Hearing Help

By Kathy Mellott, AuD

The Better Hearing Institute reports, “It would seem that hearing is a second-rate sense when compared to vision in our visually-oriented modern society. People with hearing loss delay hearing loss treatment because they are unaware of the fact that receiving early treatment for hearing loss has the potential to literally transform their lives.”
Research by the National Council on the Aging on more than 2,000 people with hearing loss as well as their significant others demonstrated that hearing aids clearly are associated with impressive improvements in the social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of people with hearing loss in all hearing loss categories from mild to severe. Specifically, hearing aid usage is positively related to the following quality of life issues. Hearing loss treatment was shown to improve
Earning power
Communication in relationships
Intimacy and warmth in family relationships
Ease in communication
Emotional stability
Sense of control over life events
Perception of mental functioning
Physical health
There are various types ofhearing aidsavailable.Some perform better according to the type and degree of your hearing loss. The first step is to have your hearing tested. Be sure to tell your audiologist all of your symptoms, i.e. “I can hear, but don't understand what is being said” or “I have ringing in my ears that just won't go away”.
The proper hearing aids can help both of these scenarios. All hearing aids are on at least a 30-day trial basis. Adjustments and modifications to the programming can be made during trial to ensure that you have the hearing help you need. Better hearing can make a big difference in your life.