May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in the United States, an awareness event focused on communication disorders. It’s an ideal time to review — and debunk — common myths about hearing loss, a surprisingly misunderstood and sometimes stigmatized disorder.
Our team at Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates in Lawrence and Ottawa supports this initiative as a leading provider of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) services in the area. Today, we’ll look at five common myths about hearing loss, as well as the truth behind them.
This myth makes an assumption that hearing is binary: it’s on or it’s off, you can hear or you’re deaf. This impression might be because the brain adapts so that what you hear feels “normal” even when you’re losing capability.
Often, a hearing impaired person is the last to realize that they have a problem. Noisy environments become troublesome and clarity is lost. Socializing becomes less enjoyable since it now takes effort and energy to hear. Hearing loss can be subtle yet impactful.
So you turn the TV up a little more or sit alone in a quiet room more often. It’s not a big deal, right?
Actually, it’s the start of social isolation, some unconscious habits that creep in and begin a separation between you and the world. Ignoring treatment for hearing loss has real and significant consequences that seem minor at first, but that can reduce your ability to communicate while contributing to mental health conditions and cognitive decline.
Concerts, shooting ranges, and loud workplaces like construction and factories all expose you to noise that’s severe enough to cause hearing loss. It’s not simply volume, it’s volume combined with time.
As well, exposure to noise over months and years adds up, in much the same way repeated sunburns increase your risk of skin cancer. You can’t regain lost hearing, so prevention is the only way to avoid or prevent further deterioration of your hearing.
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is a condition that affects some people as they get older. However, hearing loss affects people of all ages, from newborn to elderly. As well as noise exposure, you can lose hearing due to inherited genetic traits or as side effects of medical conditions.
No one wants to look older than their age, so the idea of putting on a clunky hearing aid for the world to see may be a deterrent against treating hearing loss. However, contemporary hearing aids are more powerful and much more discreet than even 10 years ago.
Not only are modern assistive devices harder to spot, the technology is top-notch with Bluetooth capability and smartphone integration. People who have trouble using phones now find remarkable clarity as they take calls directly through their hearing aids.
Not only is hearing aid stigma dying, there’s even a tendency to classify contemporary hearing aids as premium ear buds. While hearing aids aren’t quite status symbols, perceptions are shifting.
There’s no reason to put off a hearing test. Early detection for hearing loss helps you over the long run.
Contact Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates to learn more about enhancing, preserving, and protecting your hearing, and treating hearing loss as a way to maintain your ability to communicate and quality of life. Call our nearest office to make an appointment today.
