Hearing loss impacts almost every area of our lives. Unfortunately, many people wait far too long to seek treatment for it.
A study on early vs. delayed hearing loss management found that people wait an average of 10 years from symptom onset before being referred for treatment such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Let’s look at three common excuses people use to put off treatment and how you can overcome them.
“My Hearing Loss isn’t Bad Enough.”
Hearing loss often develops gradually. At first, you may be able to brush off the occasional missed word or blame misunderstandings on a distracting environment. Over time, those tiny symptoms will grow, making them harder and harder to ignore. You may eventually struggle to understand speech in quiet environments or turn the TV up so loud that others have to shout over it.
Paying attention to the signs of hearing loss is the best way to overcome this excuse. Write down every time you have trouble hearing something for a week. Include the circumstances and who was talking. Look at the list at the end of the week. If you have difficulty hearing in anything but an extremely noisy environment, it’s time for a hearing test.
“Hearing Aids Won’t Help Me.”
On the flipside, some patients believe that their hearing loss is too advanced for hearing aids to make a difference. When hearing loss has progressed significantly, it can seem like nothing will make a meaningful difference.
Hearing aids may not bring back every detail of speech, but they can make critical environmental sounds audible again, like the rhythm of music or the warning of an approaching siren. For people with severe to profound hearing loss, that support can be life-changing.
Depending on your type and degree of hearing loss, you may also be a candidate for a cochlear implant, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis.
“I Don’t Like How Hearing Aids Look.”
It’s common for patients to worry that their devices will make them look old or that bulky devices will draw too much attention. Much of that concern comes from outdated ideas about what hearing aids look like and who needs them.
The truth is that one in eight people aged 12 and older in the U.S. has hearing loss in both ears. Hearing aids don’t make you look older; they signal that you took control of your hearing health. Modern hearing aids are also far less bulky than many picture. You can choose from styles ranging from nearly invisible in-the-canal options to sleek, stylish behind-the-ear devices.
Don’t let concerns get in the way of all the benefits hearing loss treatment offers. Contact Tinnitus & Hearing Experts today to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists.