Hearing Loss
Learn more about hearing loss and how to recognize the signs
Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be difficult to recognize at first, especially if your loss has been left untreated for a long time. Often, our hearing will deteriorate gradually over the course of a few years. This can make it difficult to identify the signs of hearing loss because your brain has become accustomed to not hearing well.
Below are some common signs of hearing loss. If any of the following signs apply to you, then you should make an appointment with us for a hearing check.
- Sounds and speech seem muffled
- Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- You have difficulty understanding conversation when there is background noise
- You turn the volume up on the TV louder than others like
- You can hear sounds but you lack clarity
- You hear a ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
Hearing and Your Brain
Hearing loss is incredibly common, affecting over 48 million Americans. Your hearing plays an important role in your overall health and well-being. When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to serious health conditions, such as cognitive decline, depression, social isolation, and even dementia. It’s important to manage the signs of hearing loss early in order to maintain your cognitive functioning and to feel your best.
Our hearing is a crucial part in how we communicate and experience the world. Did you know that we don’t hear when sound reaches the ear? We hear when sound travels through the ear and reaches the auditory cortex of the brain. When the brain doesn’t hear certain sounds or tones because of hearing loss, then your brain will eventually forget those sounds, leading to cognitive decline. At our hearing clinic, we can help you maintain your hearing and keep your brain healthy.
Hearing FAQs
Does insurance cover the cost of hearing aids?
Many insurance plans offer no hearing aid benefit/funding but some insurance plans do offer full- or partial-funding of hearing aids, so our office is happy to run a pre-verification of hearing aid benefits in preparation for your upcoming appointment. We want our patients to have as much information as possible to make informed decisions about their hearing healthcare journey.
What features are available in hearing aids today?
Hearing aids today are incredibly advanced. They offer superior noise reduction, feedback/whistling elimination, and wireless connectivity. Bluetooth hearing aids are very popular as they can connect directly to your smartphone or TV, allowing for easy streaming. Rechargeable hearing aids are also more popular, as you can recharge them rather than relying on the changing of batteries.
What is the best brand of hearing aids?
There isn’t a specific “best” brand. Each patient’s individual lifestyle, mobility, hearing loss level, and social needs will dictate which features, style, or brand will likely be the right fit.
How long do hearing aids last?
The average lifespan of hearing aids is between 3-4 years. How long they last you largely depends on how well you care for them and bring them in for regular maintenance checks.
Why can I hear at home but in a restaurant it’s harder?
At home, listening is easier because it’s usually quiet and familiar, there’s less background noise competing with the voices you want to hear. In a restaurant, however, multiple conversations, music, and clattering dishes create a lot of background noise. This makes it harder for your brain to focus on speech, especially if you have any level of hearing loss, since distinguishing words from noise becomes more challenging.
How do I know if I have hearing loss?
Some common signs of hearing loss include sounds seeming muffled, asking others to repeat themselves, having difficulty hearing when there is background noise, and needing the volume turned up louder than others like. If you have noticed any of these indicators, it’s time to schedule a hearing test in Grapevine today.
Helpful Hearing Tips
Tips for Hearing Aid Wearers
Don’t be afraid to be your own self-advocate. In groups and noisy settings especially, letting your communication partners know beforehand that you communicate best if they face you and enunciate clearly when speaking might save everyone frustration in the moment.
Tips for Communicating with People Who Have Hearing Loss
When speaking with someone who has trouble hearing clearly, it is always best to face them, reduce any background noise or distraction, get their attention before you begin, and slow your rate of speech enough to clearly annunciate.
Tips for Adjusting to Your New Hearing Aids
Often new hearing aid users will experience sounds in their environment which are “new” or unexpected (such as subtle details/quality of their own voices, air conditioning or fan, water splashing, paper crunching, their own footsteps) which they haven’t heard in a while. The first week after your hearing aid fitting, it’s best to take note of what sounds are particularly bothersome or which don’t “normalize” after a few days – as these sounds may be adjusted down.