4 Common Myths About Hearing Loss

There are many misconceptions about hearing loss. These misconceptions can sometimes negatively affect how people deal with hearing loss, and so it’s important to clear them up. Below are just four of the common myths surrounding hearing loss debunked.

Hearing Loss is Something You Don’t Have to Worry About Until Old Age

Hearing loss is more common in older age. However, it is not just older people who experience hearing loss. Thousands of babies every year are born with impaired hearing. This can range from mild hearing loss to profound. Some people do not realize they were born with hearing loss until they are a child, teenager or even young adult.

Hearing loss can also decline at any age. Some people born with perfect hearing may experience hearing loss in their 20s or even their teens. This is usually the result of a medical condition or high levels of noise exposure.

In other words, you shouldn’t wait until you’re at retirement age to look into a hearing test. Many people experience hearing loss much earlier. If you’ve noticed that you’re having trouble hearing things or you’re experiencing ringing in your ears, it could be worth getting a hearing test. A hearing instrument specialist can then help you select a hearing aid if you need one.

Hearing Loss is Caused Solely by Loud Noise Exposure

Another common misconception is that hearing loss is caused solely by loud noise exposure. While it’s true that going to loud concerts or working in noisy environments without earplugs can damage your hearing, there are many other things that can lead to hearing loss from infections to conditions like Meniere’s disease.

For many people who experience hearing loss in old age, it’s simply a natural process of ageing. Changes occur within the ear as we get older that can lead to hearing loss, regardless of whether we regularly expose ourselves to loud noise or not. As a result, you shouldn’t think that just because you’ve been careful around loud noises, you won’t experience hearing loss in older age.

It’s worth noting that it’s still important to protect your hearing against noise. Exposure to loud noise can cause many people to lose their hearing earlier. It’s also a leading cause of tinnitus. So, make sure to wear earplugs.

Hearing Loss Only Affects Your Hearing

Some people view hearing loss as a mild inconvenience and believe that they can put up with it without the need for a hearing aid. What a lot of people don’t realise is that hearing loss gets worse over time and often negatively impacts other aspects of our health beyond our hearing.

Hearing loss can often affect our sense of balance. Natural changes or damage to the inner ear can not only affect our auditory system but also our vestibular system. This can lead to vertigo and nausea. Separate treatment is typically needed for this, but a hearing aid may help.

Hearing loss can also make social interactions more difficult, which in turn can lead to increased levels of stress in social situations and an inability to hold conversations. Many people experience social anxiety or depression. There are also links between hearing loss and memory loss. Treating hearing loss may help to prevent all of these other health issues from developing.

Hearing Aids Can Restore Hearing to Normal

Hearing aids are the most popular treatment option for hearing loss. However, it’s important to realise that they are not a cure – they cannot restore your hearing completely back to normal. Some people have high expectations of what a hearing aid can do and can give up on them when they realise that their hearing is not perfect.

What is important to remember is that a hearing aid can greatly improve hearing. Most modern hearing aids are able to provide a much more thorough level of tuning, as well as background noise reduction, restoring hearing to almost perfect levels. It all comes down to finding a reliable hearing instrument specialist who can programme your hearing aid correctly.

Usually, it will take a few weeks to get used to your hearing aid. If after this period, you still don’t notice a considerable difference, it may be worth booking another appointment – your hearing aid prescription may simply need to be tweaked to provide better results.

At Niagara Hearing and Speech Clinic, one of our qualified hearing instrument specialists will help to restore your hearing to the best possible level. Book an appointment today by calling us on (855) 797-8002.