HEARING LOSS

If you have trouble hearing or understanding, you are not alone. More than 25 million Americans have hearing loss, including one out of four people older than 65. Hearing loss may come from infections, strokes, head injuries, some medicines, tumors, other medical problems, or even too much ear wax. It can also result from repeated exposure to very loud noise, such as music, or power tools. As a person ages, the way the ear works may change which can also affect hearing.

You might need a hearing aid if:

People complain that you are not listening People say you turn the TV volume too high You may understand male voices better than female voices You may have trouble hearing nature sounds, such as birds or wind in the trees You may feel that people mumble or that their voices are blurry You request frequently that people repeat themselves, even in quiet areas You automatically turn to face the person speaking, or even cup your ear in an attempt to hear better

You confuse words because you cannot clearly understand what you hear Common sounds are often missed, such as a telephone ringing or a doorbell Public gathering places where sound sources are far from the listener cause you difficulty You have difficulty hearing the television and/or on the telephone Groups of people conversing together are difficult for you to understand You may avoid any group meetings or social occasions where listening may be difficult or you frequently misunderstand what is said A family member or friend has mentioned that you could have a hearing problem

Hearing is one of the body's major senses, and hearing loss can create severe problems in your life. Those who have a hearing impairment may have difficulty understanding others, finding the source of a sound, distinguishing everyday sounds, or following a conversation. Hearing loss causes a lack of comprehension and causes an increase in anxiety and stress. Hearing loss also increases confusion and frustration. Hearing loss is the third leading disability among people in the United States, less only than arthritis and hypertension.

To find out whether you have a hearing loss and what kind of loss you have, whether all the parts of your ear are working correctly, you may want to take a hearing test. These tests are often given by health care specialists such as an audiologist. Audiologists are not medical doctors, but are specially trained to give hearing tests and interpret the results. Hearing tests are painless.