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Do I Need A Hearing Aid?
Presented By: Isidore Kirsh, Ph.D., F.A.A.A. (N.J. Lic. #678) Jennifer Elfert, Doctor of Audiology (N.J. Lic. #904)
Many of you who read this column can be sitting on top of a fence looking at sheep grazing in the pasture and wondering, "Do I really need help with my hearing?" Here are some general guidelines to consider:
You may need a hearing aid if:
Your hearing frustrates you when conversing with family or friends.
Your spouse tells you she or he has to repeat what she or he has said.
Your hearing causes you to have arguments with family members.
You feel that hearing difficulties hinder your social life.
You attend church services or other group activities less often because of your hearing problem.
Your hearing creates difficulties when you visit a restaurant with family or friends.
You feel that you are impaired by your hearing problem in some manner.
You have difficultyhearing the television or radio at a normal volume level.
It is difficultfor you to hear or understand when someone speaks to you in a whisper.
Your next step is to have an evaluation by an otolaryngologist, audiologist or hearing aid dispenser. This will help determine the level and type of your hearing loss. The proper treatment with either medical attention or a hearing aid will be recommended. With today's modern technology, many hearing losses can be successfully compensated with a hearing aid.
 | | Dr. Isidore Kirsh Ph.D., F.A.A.A. |
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It is important that you understand that it is not possible for a hearing aid to completely restore your hearing. What it can do is enhance sound, and thus allow you to hear better. Since hearing loss is gradual, over the years, you may have become unaccustomed to normal environmental sounds such as traffic noise, the hum of a refrigerator or air conditioner, natural sounds or background conversation. Therefore, when you begin to wear hearing aids, it is necessary to re-educate your brain to practice selective listening and learn once again to choose only those sounds you wish to hear and ignore the rest. It is important that you wear your hearing aids as much as possible. This is the best way for you to get used to them and the way that they work. This also helps you to become more skilled at recognizing sound direction, learning what hearing aid settings work best in different situations and using visual clues in different hearing environments. Patience is the key.
 | | Dr. Jennifer Elfert Doctor of Audiology |
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Your friends and family can be very helpful in the whole listening process. Encourage them to speak to you in a normal voice without over annunciating or over emphasizing their lip movements. If for some reason, you continue to findthe adjustment to be difficult, your hearing health care professional should be happy to answer any questions that you have and help you solve any of your hearing-related problems.
So, if you are sitting on top of the fence looking at sheep grazing in the pasture and wondering whether you have a hearing problem, the odds are - you do. The majority of patients with hearing problems can be fully and most appropriately helped with the use of properly fitted hearing aids. Approximately 80 percent of adult patients with complaints of hearing problems can not benefit from medical or surgical treatment but can be helped with amplification.Take the next step and call your hearing aid professional for a complete evaluation.
Dr. Kirsh and Dr. Elfert are always available to answer your serious questions about hearing health care. Alliance Speech & Hearing Center is located at 4691 Route 9 North, Howell, NJ. They can be reached at 732-942-7220.
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