- COMMON MYTHS
- ABOUT HEARING
LOSS
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- Myth:
If I did have a hearing impairment, I’d certainly know about
it.
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- Fact:
The truth is, hearing loss happens gradually and the signs are
subtle at first. Our own built-in defenses and ability to adapt
make it difficult to self-diagnose. A simple Q & A hearing
test can help you gain insight, while professional screening
can provide a more definitive answer.
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- Myth:
Most hearing problems can’t be helped.
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- Fact:
30 or 40 years ago, that was true. Today, 90% of hearing loss—the
kind that’s brought on by age or exposure to noise—is
very responsive to treatment in the form of technically advanced
hearing instruments.
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- Myth:
If you’re hearing impaired, it just means sounds aren’t
loud enough.
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- Fact:
Hearing isn’t only about loudness or decibel level. Typically,
hearing loss has more to do with the frequency of the sound—that
is, its pitch—than its loudness. When hearing loss occurs,
it’s harder to hear higher pitches—especially when
there is background noise to complicate the picture, such as
conversation in a noisy restaurant. That’s why amplifying
incoming sounds alone isn’t as effective in treating hearing
loss as amplifying selectively.
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- Myth:
Living with hearing loss is not a big deal.
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- Fact:
There are many psychological effects to hearing loss, including
frustration, withdrawal, and depression. Trouble communicating
with others creates a strain on relationships and a loss of esteem.
It’s far better to deal with hearing loss than to pretend
it isn’t happening—or to ignore the effect it is having
on those around you.
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- Myth:
Hearing instruments are obvious and unattractive.
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- Fact:
While it’s true that hearing instruments don’t enjoy
the fashion status of a pair of glasses, new technology has made
these devices remarkably discreet. Many people can wear instruments
that are either tucked well inside the ear or almost completely
hidden in the ear canal. Behind-the-ear styles are often disguised
by hairstyles.
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- Myth:
Hearing loss and hearing instruments are a sign of old age.
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- Fact:
Things are changing. Just as hearing loss is itself no longer
the province of the elderly (there are more hearing-impaired
people in the 45-64 year-old age category than there are in the
over-65 age group), neither is wearing a hearing instrument.
Many of the baby boomers now experiencing hearing loss will undoubtedly
invest in better hearing sooner than later. And, as a culture,
we’re increasingly showing our preference for treatment
over doing nothing — witness the popularity of such investments
in life as laser eye surgery and hormone replacement therapy,
to name a few. Indeed, doing nothing to help yourself may be
seen as a more obvious sign of old age than the problem itself.
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- Myth:
Really good hearing instruments are prohibitively expensive.
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- Fact:
Better hearing through technology is within the reach of most
people. The real issue is quality of life, and what it’s
worth to you. While good hearing instruments are seen as expensive,
putting a price on a better life experience is hard to do. You
have to weigh the benefits and make your own decision. However
you choose to look at it, treating hearing loss and enjoying
the benefits is still relatively inexpensive compared to treating
most health problems.
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- Myth:
Hearing instruments don’t work.
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- Fact:
- Hearing instruments
won’t restore lost hearing or stop the progression of age-
or noise-related hearing loss. And because hearing is as much
a function of the brain as it is the inner ear, hearing aids
aren’t the whole story in hearing better. But smart new
technologies, including the ability to amplify sound selectively,
do help most people to hear better in most situations. Even so,
it needs to be said that no hearing instrument, no matter how
sophisticated, will work unless you are willing to wear and adapt
to it.
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