Many of us reach a day when we need a little or a lot of help to hear sounds, words, nature, music, and our grandkids. There’s nothing more frustrating than only getting a few words here and there and feeling left out of conversations and life. For many of us, we may not even realize that our hearing abilities have diminished. Hearing loss can come from age, injury, disease, or exposure to loud noises such as occupational sounds, music, or other means.
Hearing is achieved by the hair cells in our ears that pick up vibrations and convert them into sound. When we begin to lose those hair cells due to whatever reason, there are fewer to receive those vibrations, resulting in reduced hearing capabilities.
To celebrate National Audiology Awareness Month, let’s look further into these miracle machines that can remedy these losses. First of all, the only way to diagnose our hearing health is to get tested by an otolaryngologist or audiologist. The audiology tests are non-invasive and simple. Many Medicare plans include a hearing check for their subscribers. However, when the news comes that it’s time for hearing aids, understanding how they work and what to choose can be confusing.
First, hearing aids are made up of three essential features–a microphone, an amplifier, and a speaker. The National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) explains how the device works – “A hearing aid magnifies sound vibrations entering the ear. Surviving hair cells detect the larger vibrations and convert them into neural signals that are passed along to the brain. The greater the damage to a person’s hair cells, the more severe the hearing loss, and the greater the hearing aid amplification needed to make up the difference.”
There are various hearing aids to choose from, including behind-the-ear, in the ear canal, and in-the-ear with variations of each. The Mayo Clinic offers clear explanations of each of them here. It is well worth researching each before your first appointment so you can ask knowledgeable questions about what’s right for you. Your hearing professional will also recommend which is best based on your hearing loss and comfort zone levels. With new technology being developed each year, regular checkups will help determine if an updated device may be recommended for you.
A unique feature in many hearing appliances now incorporates Bluetooth technology. Listening to personal music devices or your television can be sent directly to your hearing aids while remaining silenced to others. Smartphone apps help you control the volume. This has proven beneficial, especially when living with others who do not appreciate media being turned up full volume.
With the onset of COVID, mask-wearing brought safety for us, as well as the need to try harder to understand each other with muffled sounds. For those of us who already had hearing difficulties, it became even more of a challenge. Paper masks reduce sounds by 3 to 4 decibels, while the N95 masks can decrease sound by as much as three times that amount and clear plastic shields even more, although permitting some lip-reading. Consonants became the most difficult to distinguish, especially if they sounded similar, such as p, d, t, and b. However, all hope is not lost. Rather than just turning up the volume on our devices, hearing specialists developed programming, aptly named the Face Mask Program, that helps enhance these hard-to-understand sounds. If you are having difficulties with this new mask language we are all experiencing, ask your hearing professional if it can be added to your device.
When you first get your hearing aids, your provider will demonstrate how to insert them, store them, change batteries, clean them, and adjust the volume through the device directly or via a Smartphone app. Ask as many questions as you wish. You won’t be the first person to ask them, and they expect you to have queries about your new leap forward into the hearing world once again. Be sure and find out how often you should repeat your audiology tests or have your devices checked.
Hearing aids are an excellent addition to enhancing our quality of life if the need arises. They no longer carry the stigma of years ago and are widely accepted, especially with the range of more discreet devices available. There’s no time like today to optimize your independence by rediscovering the world of sound and hearing what you may have missed.
The Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapists at NIT have a wealth of experience working with patients who are suffering from hearing loss. Give us a call today at 319 352 4544 or email us at info@nitherapy.com to learn more about what we can do to help you Love Your Best Life. NIT has over 60 sites throughout IA in Assisted Living, Hospitals, and Skilled Nursing Facilities. Our main outpatient clinic is located in Waverly, IA.
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