Hearing is tricky (click here for a quick rundown on how we hear) – most of us are born with enough hearing sensitivity that sound is one of the primary dimensions of our world; we use it to communicate and to gain awareness of our surroundings. And then one day, it starts to seem like words are sounding dull and the birds aren’t singing as much as they used to. The change is usually slow and it can seem to creep up on us. When you have a hearing loss is difficult to know what you are missing and it often seems like other people are mumbling before you notice you are hearing less. Sometimes the first sign of a hearing loss is ringing or buzzing sounds (aka tinnitus) in the ears. Often times when someone reaches out to a healthcare provider about tinnitus or hearing loss they are met with few agreeable options.
I AM WRITING THIS BLOG BECAUSE I WANT TO ATTEMPT TO DEMYSTIFY ADULT ONSET HEARING LOSS TO THOSE WHO ARE BIT MYSTIFIED.
If you want to learn more about preventing and treating hearing loss and tinnitus please take a look through this blog or contact me for a consultation. Healthcare providers can take our online continuing education courses to learn more about how to help those with hearing loss and tinnitus (likely more than 20% of their patients).
For hearing aid buying do’s and don’t, read through the posts numbered #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5. Use the arrows at the bottom of the page to go to the blog post written right after this one or right before it.
*Please know my professional experience, the suggestions, and information in this blog are primarily directed toward individuals who have acquired hearing loss after developing spoken language and who wish to continue to use spoken language (with or without other communication modes). But if you are interested in learning American Sign Language (ASL), what resources are available for people who use ASL, or more about Deaf Culture, I am happy to direct you to some great resources. Here is one in the Seattle area to start!