Hearing loss can be difficult to come to terms with, not only for the person that is experiencing it, but also for everyone that loves and cares about that person. One of the best things you can do if you find yourself or a loved one suffering from hearing loss is to get as educated as possible about it.
The trouble, though, is that there is a lot of misinformation floating about on the web. Don’t worry, as we are going to debunk these myths in this blog post. Read on to discover more about some of the most common hearing loss myths.
Tinnitus is a disease that cannot be cured – This is one of the biggest myths floating around about a specific hearing loss condition: tinnitus. Firstly, tinnitus is not actually a disease. It is a condition that arises because of neurological damage and loud-noise exposure.
There is a treatment for this – but there is not a cure. You will need to see an ENT or HHP hearing care specialist and they will be able to determine whether you have a severe, moderate or mild case of tinnitus. They will then put together a treatment plan that is completely customised for you, and this may include the likes of medication, earwax removal, hearing aids, and other alternatives.
I don’t need a hearing aid because I only have trouble with certain sounds, not in general – If you have trouble hearing certain sounds, yet you can hear other sounds clearly, you may not be suffering from complete hearing loss, but you most definitely have a form of hearing loss.
After all, you have a loss of certain sounds. A hearing aid is definitely worth considering because it will enhance your hearing and ensure that those sounds that are troubling you will become a lot clearer.
Hearing aids will restore my hearing to normal – Unfortunately, hearing aids do not provide a miracle cure. The effectiveness of a hearing aid will depend on the hearing loss of the individual. Some people benefit from hearing aids way more than other people do.
No matter what applies, though, a hearing aid is exactly that: an aid. A hearing aid is designed to help you hear better, but it will not restore your hearing health to normal. This also highlights why it is so important to get your hearing aids to work for you.
Hearing aids remind people of old age and they look ugly – This is a concern a lot of people have and so they are reluctant to use a hearing aid even though they need one. However, this is definitely not the case. Technology has advanced dramatically over the years, and so hearing aids are not as bulky or as ‘ugly’ as they used to be.
New technology means that there are now hearing aids for all people and all lifestyles, so don’t rule them out before you explore your options fully. Plus, the only person that will be worried about the appearance of the hearing aid is you; no one else thinks that you look ‘old’ or that you have an ‘elderly person’s condition.’
Hearing aids will make everything sound too loud – Last but not least, a lot of people mistakenly believe that the key to hearing loss is making things louder. This is why a lot of people shout when they are communicating with someone that is suffering from a hearing problem.
However, the truth is that it rarely comes down to volume. It is about making sounds clearer so they are easier to understand, and this is what a hearing aid is all about. It won’t simply make the people around you or the television sound louder. Plus, you can control your hearing aid based on where you are and what you are doing.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding some of the most common myths about hearing loss. If you or someone you love is suffering from hearing loss, it can be very difficult to come to terms with. Nevertheless, if you approach it in the right manner and you do your research, you can make sure that the individual suffering has the correct support and that you can communicate with one and other as effectively as is possible.
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