It’s important to enjoy the little things in life. The sun hitting your face on a warm day or your first sip of coffee in the morning. For you, maybe it’s the sound of birds chirping or children laughing in Mission Hills Park.
When you have hearing loss, these sounds can start to become harder to decipher. It not only makes your world a quieter place but a more isolated and less enjoyable one as well.
First Signs of Hearing Loss
While some cases of hearing loss are sudden, it is often a gradual process. Many people can have hearing loss for years without realizing it. It’s important to know what signs to look out for so you can get treated as soon as possible.
A person with normal hearing has an audible range between 20-20,000 Hz. As you develop hearing loss, that range begins to narrow and often higher frequency sounds (birds chirping, children’s voices) are the first to be affected.
If you’ve noticed that:
- Higher-pitched voices are harder to hear
- You feel like people are constantly mumbling
- It’s hard to follow conversations where there is a lot of background noise
These may be signs of hearing loss and you should schedule an appointment for a hearing test.
What to Expect During a Hearing Test
A hearing test measures your ability to hear sounds at various pitches and volumes. You will be asked to put on headphones and your hearing expert will play a series of beeps. You will be instructed to notify them (often by raising your hand or pressing a button) whenever you hear the sound.
Your results will be charted on a graph called an audiogram which will show the degree of your hearing loss and help your audiologist determine your hearing threshold.
Treating Hearing Loss
Hearing aids are the most common treatment for hearing loss. Your audiologist will work with you to find the size, style and technology that fits best with your lifestyle.
One of the hardest parts about hearing loss is how it affects your relationships with others. When conversations get harder to follow, it’s understandable that you might feel frustrated or nervous when you interact with people. These feelings can cause you to isolate yourself from those around you and can negatively impact your relationships.
Hearing aids can make connecting with others enjoyable again by making it easier for you to follow conversations and improve your confidence in social situations.
To discover the full benefits of hearing aids, contact San Diego ENT and schedule an appointment with a hearing expert today!