Over the last few decades, major medical advances have helped us better understand the nature of hearing loss. Still, there’s a lot of misinformation out there.
Here are nine common self-deceptions
— little lies we tell ourselves that can ultimately sabotage our hearing.
Don’t let them hold you back from getting the hearing help you need.
Myth 1
You tell yourself:
I’d know if I had hearing loss.
Reality check:
Hearing loss is often so gradual that you may not notice it at first. As your hearing loss increases, you may compensate by turning up the volume or asking people to repeat themselves.
We all tend to be stubborn. It’s common to deny the problem initially, then blame others for mumbling or keeping the TV volume too low. But the fact is, people without hearing loss don’t need to convince others that “I can hear just fine!” If others tell you to you need a hearing test, it’s time to get one, especially when you consider that your odds of having hearing loss are 1 in 5.
Myth 2
You tell yourself:
It’s not worth the trouble to improve my hearing.
Reality check:
Better hearing will improve your life, especially your relationships with friends, family and coworkers.
Hearing loss can be frustrating for you and lead to social withdrawal and depression. It can drive your family nuts when they constantly have to repeat themselves or leave the room because the TV is too loud. The best solution is to
The best solution is to deal with hearing loss rather than act as if it isn’t a problem.
Myth 3
You tell yourself:
It doesn’t matter if I put off getting hearing aids.
Reality check:
The sooner you address your hearing loss, the better. Hearing loss gets worse over time.
Researchers even have a name for this: “auditory deprivation.” The longer you ignore your hearing loss, the more hearing you’ll lose that can never be recovered.
Hearing aids can help, but only if you have enough hearing left to be saved. And the longer you live with hearing loss, the harder it is to adjust to using hearing aids.
Myth 4
You tell yourself:
If I’m hearing impaired, it’s just a matter of turning up the volume.
Reality check:
Sure, you can take that approach. But don’t expect to have the best relationships. When people know they’ll constantly have to repeat themselves, they tend to save themselves the trouble by avoiding you.
The right way to turn up the volume to use professionally programmed hearing aids, so that you don’t have to turn up the volume on everyone else.
Keep in mind that people resent being burdened when they know that someone could just as easily help themselves.
Myth 5
You tell yourself:
Hearing aids won’t work for me.
Reality check:
Hearing aids work for almost everyone, but only if you use the right technology with the right settings.
If you work with your hearing specialist to find the right hearing aid, programmed for your specific hearing loss, fitted and adjusted to your lifestyle, your hearing aids will almost certainly help you hear better.
Myth 6
You tell yourself:
Hearing aids are ugly.
Reality check:
Not any more. Older models were large, and there were few options.
But today, you can choose from dozens of behind the ear, in ear or in the ear canal models. The newest models are sleek and small, with some types that fit completely inside the ear canal, making them nearly invisible.
Myth 7
You tell yourself:
Hearing aids will make me look – and feel – old.
Reality check:
First, hearing loss affects people of all ages.
Second, hearing clearly and participating in conversations with confidence and without hesitation can help you stay young and vibrant.
What can make you seem old: Constantly asking people to repeat themselves, missing parts of the conversation and responding inappropriately!
Myth 8
You tell yourself:
I can save money by just getting one hearing aid.
Reality check:
If you have hearing loss in both ears, you need two hearing aids.
There’s a reason you have two ears; you use them both to locate the source of sounds, to maintain balance, and to hear sound clearly regardless of the direction it’s coming from.
Buying one hearing aid to save money when you need two is like buying just one shoe — or a half a pair of eyeglasses.
Myth 9
You tell yourself:
Hearing aids are expensive.
Reality check:
Some flat-screen Ultra-High Definition TVs retail for more than $8,000, but the millions of people who buy them don’t think they’re too expensive. It’s all about value!
Hearing clearly is part of staying healthy, happy and active. How much is that worth to you? The hearing specialists at North Hills Hearing and Balance Center will recommend the hearing aid options that best match your hearing needs, your lifestyle and your budget.
