Self-scheduling is currently available for select locations!
Here are the four most common myths about hearing loss.
When it comes to senior vision and hearing loss, there are many common misconceptions about medical assistance for improving these senses and, in turn, improving your quality of life throughout your golden years. For instance, many people believe that hearing aids restore hearing back to normal, just as they believe that an eyeglass prescription can easily restore vision back to 20/20.
However, these procedures are more complicated than a quick fix to restore your senses back to normal. Medical assistance to improve both hearing and vision may not “cure” these ailments all together, but instead provide you with a number of improvements in sight and communication that you may have lost over the years.
In order to avoid the frustration and inconvenience that comes along with hearing and vision loss, it pays to know the truth behind the myths. Take hearing loss for example: An estimated 36 million Americans suffer from hearing loss, yet the National Institute of Health (NIH) estimates that only 20% of these people actually wear a hearing aid. This is because many do not believe that they have hearing loss due to lack of education, or they simply are avoiding wearing one due to the many myths that they have heard over the years.
In order to clear up the confusion about hearing loss and hearing aids once and for all, today we are taking a look at four of the most common myths that surround hearing loss. By dispelling these myths once and for all, we hope that you will be more educated and aware of the many benefits that can come with hearing loss prevention and hearing aids.
MYTH: “I would be able to tell if I had hearing loss.”
Similar to when people begin to notice a significant loss in vision, most people who realize that they have serious hearing loss learn of this fact far too late. This is due in some part to the fact that fewer than 15% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss during an average physical. Plus, because most people with hearing impairments can hear well in a quiet environment, it can be difficult for them to fully realize the extent of their problem in a doctor’s office.
MYTH: “Nothing can be done about hearing loss.”
While significant hearing loss may have been hard to fix many years ago, the current advances in hearing aid technology provide viable options for nearly everyone who experiences some level of hearing loss. In fact, nearly 95% of people with hearing loss can be helped, most with hearing aids.
MYTH: “Hearing aids will make me look old or disabled.”
One of the largest reasons why many people with hearing loss choose not to wear hearing aids is because they are insecure about their appearance. However, hearing aids in this day and age come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and functions so that they can be perfectly adapted to the needs of the wearer. You can even choose hearing aids that fit unobtrusively behind the ear so that they are nearly invisible.
MYTH: “I’ll be constantly fidgeting with the volume on my hearing aids.”
When most people think of hearing aids, they picture someone having to constantly adjust the volume knob to fit the different sound levels of conversation that they come in contact with throughout the day. However, with modern hearing aids, the circuit works automatically to provide you with the right amount of amplification needed based on the level of noise coming in. Therefore, they will only amplify when you want them to―typically in frequency ranges where there are difficulties.
Vision and hearing are vital to the quality of our lives as we grow older. Therefore, be sure that you are not waiting until it is too late to have a comprehensive hearing exam. Contact EyeHear 20/20 today to schedule your complimentary evaluation.
