Hearing loss can be something that many of us have to deal with at some point in our lifetime. Whether it’s genetics or merely old age, it’s good to have an understanding of how hearing loss is defined and what you can do to help yourself or a loved one, if possible.  

Degrees of hearing loss

It’s firstly worth noting that there are different levels of hearing loss. Not everyone who has hearing loss is going to have something that’s severe. With, here are the terms that are used to describe different levels of hearing loss:

  • Mild: A person with a mild hearing loss might find soft sounds hard to hear but can hear most speech sounds in general.
  • Moderate: A person with moderate hearing loss may find it challenging to hear certain pitches at standard levels.
  • Severe: A person with severe hearing loss may struggle to hear any speech at a normal level.
  • Profound: A person with profound hearing loss won’t be able to hear any speech and only very loud sounds.

How do you know if you have hearing loss?

There are some clear signs of hearing loss that is worth knowing about so that if you, yourself have a form of hearing loss, you may be able to spot it quickly. These are things like not hearing the doorbell go, having to turn up the radio or television to be able to hear the sound properly. It could be having conversations in a busy environment and not hearing properly. 

It might also be something that’s picked up by others and this tends to be the most common way that those with hearing loss end up seeking support and help for their hearing loss. When your friend, family member or work colleague is expressing their concern, take it seriously.

Hearing loss can be caused by a single event or damage to the ear from infections or trauma. There’s also the chance that it could be genetics and something you’ve had from birth.

The options for hearing loss

Knowing what hearing loss entails and how it’s caused, it’s good to know what options are out there. Thankfully, with technology and advancements in engineering, there are so many other options out there when it comes to hearing devices. Whether it’s a hearing aid, there are different ones available that are going to suit everyone’s needs and wants.

In order to learn more about hearing loss, it’s worth consulting an audiologist because they are going to help diagnose your hearing loss properly. They can talk through the options you have available and what’s going to suit you best when it comes to budget, lifestyle and severity of hearing loss.

Knowing and understanding hearing loss is important because many people walk around with hearing loss and may not realize they are experiencing the inability to hear. It’s worth addressing those concerns if you have them when it comes to your hearing.