Have your loved ones told you lately that you need your hearing checked? If so, you’re not alone. The average person waits about seven years before seeking treatment for their hearing loss. Below are some of the reasons you may be putting off a hearing test or hearing aid fitting.
Hearing Loss = Hearing Aids
Many people put off seeking treatment for hearing loss because they are trying to avoid hearing aids, citing the price, the effectiveness and the fact hearing aids would make them look “old.”
Many hearing aid models are very affordable. When coming up with a treatment plan, your audiologist takes many factors into account, including your budget. Even if the hearing aids best suited for your hearing loss have a sticker price outside your budget, financing and leasing options are available.
Some people don’t want to wear hearing aids because they know somebody who has them who doesn’t like them. It’s important to know that the hearing rehabilitation process takes time and effort. Your hearing isn’t restored to what it once was as soon as you put in a hearing aid, the way eyesight is when you put on glasses. It takes time for your ears and your brain to re-learn how to process sounds, and the programming process takes several weeks, or in some cases, months.
Finally, it is not hearing aids that make someone appear “old,” but asking people to repeat themselves over and over might. Today’s hearing devices are smaller, sleeker and more discreet than ever before. Some models are even completely invisible.
You Think Your Hearing Is Fine
Hearing loss is a progressive condition, meaning you develop it over time. Many people develop hearing loss so slowly they are unaware they have a problem until someone else points it out to them.
The first sign of hearing loss is that you perceive sound as distorted, not quiet. So while you may think that you hear fine because you can hear the volume of someone’s voice, if you can’t what make out what’s being said, you likely have some degree of hearing loss.
You may also be missing out on sounds you didn’t even realize you can’t hear anymore. After seeking treatment, many people comment on hearing rustling leaves or chirping of birds for the first time in years.
Hearing Loss Only Affects You
When you choose to not seek treatment for your hearing loss, you are not the only one affected. Your loved ones, especially your spouse, often take on additional burdens, like speaking much louder than is comfortable or natural, putting up with very loud volume on the TV and frequently repeating themselves. If you think your hearing loss only affects you, you’re mistaken.
If you’re ready to schedule a hearing test and take the first step toward better hearing, call the experts at Today’s Hearing.