Both Ears Have Hearing Loss, What Now?

Are you experiencing hearing loss in one ear and now both?

Hearing Loss often occurs as people age.  It oftentimes is a gradual change in hearing. You may not even notice it at first.  Hearing high-pitched noises such as the microwave or your phone are often the first affected.  Lower Pitched noises like male voices tend to stay within a hearing range.

You might have noticed diminished sound in one ear, but now both ears are causing you concern. 

Some signs and symptoms of bilateral or hearing loss in both hears are:

• Difficulty understanding conversations especially in places with background noise.
• Sounds are muffled
• Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
• Turning up the audio on your music or television
• Avoidance of social settings
• Withdrawal from conversations

What Should I Do?

Visiting your doctor is the first step to diagnosing your hearing loss.  Hearing loss isn’t always age-related and you could be experiencing a medical problem.  Your medical professional will refer you to an audiologist for further examination.

An audiologist (hearing specialist) is an expert in understanding what options are available to help you hear better, including hearing aids, special therapy, and even surgery available with the correct diagnosis.

I’m Worried About Hearing Loss Stigma

Learning you have hearing loss can be upsetting and a little scary. Social stigmas can worsen your anxiety about hearing aids. You may fear seeking help because you fear how other people perceive them.  You don’t want other people to treat you differently because you have hearing aids.

Many people associate hearing loss with being old and incompetent. In the past, a person who struggled to hear must be past their prime.  No matter how old you are, you don’t want to be past your prime. You want to live a vibrant and active lifestyle. Don’t let stereotypes of the past keep you from living your best life.

Sometimes people associate hearing loss with low cognition or intellectual disabilities. They fear people will believe they have poor communication skills or are socially awkward. They worry that others will see them in a negative light because they are wearing hearing aids. This simply is no longer true.

Increased studies to understand hearing loss give a great understanding of how to improve hearing.  Advances in Technology have improved screening and early detection. Visiting an audiologist for testing ad diagnosis reduces the struggle of trying to solve the problem on your own.  Hearing Specialists understand the different types of hearing aids. They will listen to your concerns and work with you to determine which hearing aid will be right for your lifestyle.

How Do Hearing Aids Work?

Hearing aids are medical devices that can be worn in or around the ear.  They improve hearing by making sounds louder.  Think of hearing aids for the ears like glasses for the eyes.  Hearing aids don’t necessarily restore your hearing to previous levels but they help improve your hearing so you can enjoy the social side of life.

What Can I Do to Feel Better about My Hearing Loss?

There are many benefits to hearing better with hearing aids.  The greatest benefit of wearing hearing aids is healthy cognitive function.  Many studies have been conducted that show there is a direct relationship between dementia and lack of hearing.  Hearing loss shrinks the brain. There are several possible reasons for this.

 When you don’t hear well, it can be exhausting and frustrating. Your brain has to work hard to get the information process. You are forced to fill in the gaps of conversation and you don’t always get it right.

People tend to isolate themselves because social situations cause anxiety due to the lack of hearing.  This reduces intellectual interactions with others which is important for healthy brain function. Wearing hearing aids will help you keep living the lifestyle you are accustomed to

Another benefit of hearing better is that you will feel more comfortable in social settings and enjoy having improved conversations with others.  When you can hear what is being said in conversations, it will be a relief for you and your family. They won’t have to worry about you or keep repeating what they say.

I’m Not Sure Hearing Aids Are For Me

There are many different styles of hearing aids available.  Some are practically invisible.   Setting up an appointment with your audiologist will get you started in the right direction.  Your hearing specialist will walk you through each stage of the process to get you hearing better and back into a healthy and active life. At Hearing Associates of Las Vegas, we are a caring, family-owned practice dedicated to understanding the latest technology in hearing aids.  We provide high-quality service and are dedicated to helping you hear better.