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The Early Stages of Hearing Loss
By Eileen Puterski, local certified Audiologist with Sound Effects Hearing Services

Most people today don’t mind being seen in public with personal stereos or cell phones dangling conspicuously from their ears. Many of these same people wouldn’t even consider the use of hearing aids to improve the quality of their lives. There is a stigma attached to hearing aids which eye glasses managed to shed long ago, because hearing loss is viewed as an affliction of the elderly.
While hearing loss due to aging is widespread, other conditions can also cause a loss of auditory acuity in people of all ages. Hearing loss may occur as a side effect of diabetes, kidney and thyroid disorders, some medications, genetic factors, illnesses such as meningitis, ear infections, and noise exposure.

Hearing loss often goes unnoticed in
the early stages. As the loss progresses,
family and friends become aware of the
problem, as they often ask to repeat. The hearing impaired individual may not realize anything is wrong, as some types of hearing loss do not effect all sounds equally. Low frequency sounds may be heard at near normal levels, while higher frequency sounds may be severely impaired. This type of hearing loss results in the complaint “I can hear but don’t understand words.” Eventually, the ability to hear voices and environmental sounds will decrease. Employment, academic progress, and even basic independent living skills can be jeopardized as hearing loss becomes more severe.

These problems can often be alleviated through he use of quality digital hear aids which are computer programmed to the individual by a certified audiologist. Hearing aid technology has advanced tremendously in recent years, and it is no longer necessary to settle for obsolete circuitry with inferior sound processing capability which so many hearing aid users found unsatisfactory.
Unfortunately, many people do not know about the latest advances, and continue to believe that hearing aids have limited
benefits.

Even many physicians are unaware of the negative effects of hearing loss on their patients’ everyday lives, or of the improvements which have made hearing aids more beneficial. Most people who invest in quality instruments can experience clear, comfortable sound, resulting in improved communication skills and enjoyment of music, TV, and everyday sounds. While hearing aids do not restore normal hearing or cure hearing loss, they do provide invaluable assistance to those who wear them. Some hearing aid fittings fail because the user has unrealistic expectations that they will hear perfectly in all environments all of the time.

Obtaining hearing aids is a health care service, not a sales transaction, and should be entrusted only to professionals with the most rigorous academic credentials. A certified audiologist will do a complete hearing
evaluation, including tests of the hearing for tones and speech. The audiologist will explain your results, refer you to a physician if test results suggest a medically treatable condition, or, if appropriate, will recommend
hearing aids tailored to your type of hearing loss, lifestyle, and price range.
Prospective hearing aid wearers should understand that there are three vital
components to a successful hearing aid
fitting.

The first is a technologically current, high quality hearing instrument.

The second is a well-educated ethical audiologist who provides expert guidance and follow-up care.

The third, and perhaps the most important, is a well-informed motivated patient who understands that successful hearing aid use requires setting realistic performance expectations and allowing time to adapt to the new instrument.

When all three components come together, the hearing impaired individual will again be able to experience the pleasures of the world of sound.