You have so many options. Why wait?

Have you been told you have a hearing loss, but you wonder how bad is too bad? How serious does a condition need to be before it goes from being an annoyance to something that requires medical attention? If you have mild hearing loss, you may think it’s not serious and can be ignored, at least for now. However, the effects of mild hearing loss should not be underestimated. Many times, people think that hearing aids are only for those individuals who can not hear at all. Having a hearing loss doesn’t just mean sounds aren’t loud enough. Oftentimes, it means sounds aren’t clear enough either. People with mild hearing loss often notice that they can hear but that they have difficulty understanding conversations clearly, especially when noise is present. If you have mild hearing loss, the most difficult sounds of speech consonant sounds like “f” and “th” or “k” and “p” - can be lost during a conversation. That means it will be difficult for you to clearly distinguish between words. For example, the word “death” may sound like “deaf.” Throw in some poor room acoustics, background noise that is distracting or a soft-spoken conversation partner, and even a mild hearing loss can pose major challenges. So, if you know you have mild hearing loss or someone else is telling you that you cannot hear properly, how do you know if it’s time to consider hearing aids? The first step is to get a hearing assessment by an audiologist. Hearing loss isn’t always black and white. If you were to compare two people with identical hearing test results and the same mild hearing loss, one might report significant difficulty in their everyday life while the other barely notices the hearing loss at all. Because no two hearing losses are alike, even when they appear identical on paper, only you know how yours is affecting you. Be honest with yourself and, chances are, your mild hearing loss is probably affecting you more than you care to admit. When you have a hearing assessment, your hearing healthcare professional will not only be interested in your level of hearing, they will also ask you questions aimed at finding out how much trouble your hearing loss is giving you. Through a careful history and discussion, they can find out about your perceived handicap. You may not be ready for hearing aids yet, but it is important to keep a close watch on your hearing loss progression with the help of your hearing care provider. People with mild hearing loss and high perceived handicaps are often good candidates for hearing aids. Hearing Aid technology has come a long way, and today’s devices are sleek, stylish and customizable to any degree of hearing loss. Hearing aids exist for every lifestyle and budget. People who first discover a hearing loss wait an average of 7 years to seek help with hearing aids. During this time, the hearing loss progresses, and the brain “forgets” how to hear sound properly. People who wait too long become less able to understand speech over time. Catching a hearing loss when it is mild gives you the best chance for success with hearing aids and rehabilitation now and in the future. In addition, untreated hearing loss has been linked to irritability, anger, fatigue, stress, depression, avoidance or withdrawal from social situation, impaired memory, and dementia. It makes sense to get hearing aids sooner, rather than later. Come visit our Doctor of Audiology at one of our 7 award winning clinics. No referral is necessary. We deal with all insurance plans. WSIB and DVA patients are welcome.