Busting the myths about hearing loss

Most people take their hearing for granted, and even when they start to lose it, they often put it down to being part of getting older.

Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions among Australians, with more than 3.6 million people experiencing some level of hearing loss. This number is expected to double to around 7.8 million by 2060 because of Australia’s ageing population.¹ “Early detection and treatment of hearing loss can have a positive impact on people’s quality of life and improve their ability to communicate with their family, friends and colleagues” said Ben Wood, Director and Audiologist at Hear More Audiology.

There are many myths out there when it comes to hearing loss and the team at Hear More Audiology are focused on busting them all in order to improve the hearing health of the local community.

MYTH: Hearing loss only effects the elderly

Reality: According to a study from 2015² 49.5% of people with hearing loss in Australia are of working age (15-64 years). Aside from ageing, there are other factors such as genetics, illness and exposure to loud noise that also lead to hearing loss.

MYTH: Speaking louder will help a person with hearing loss to understand

Reality: Turning up the volume is only part of the problem for most people with hearing loss. Clarity and pitch are also very important. To ensure adequate clarity, people with residual hearing will benefit greatly from hearing devices specifically tuned to the pitch and shape of their individual hearing loss. On a simpler level, adjustments to the equalizer settings on TV’s or other home audio devices may provide improvements in clarity without the need for excessive volume.

Shouting and over-articulating will often distort the sound quality for people with hearing loss, and make it harder for them to lip-read.

MYTH: Only people with severe hearing loss need hearing aids

Reality: Hearing loss is often a slow progressive condition. Like many other health issues, early intervention is key. Even if you have a mild hearing loss, your lifestyle and communication can be impacted. The sooner you act on hearing loss, the better chance you have for your brain to retrain itself how to manage and discern sounds. The longer you wait to address hearing loss, the harder it is to adjust and “relearn” how to hear again.

MYTH: Everyone will notice my hearing aids

Reality: The fact is, hearing loss is far more noticeable than hearing aids. Without hearing aids, you’ll likely respond incorrectly or appear to not be paying attention during conversations.

The digital age has brought numerous advances in hearing aid technology. Today’s hearing aids are much smaller, more lightweight, have far better sound quality, and superior noise filtering and amplification capabilities.

MYTH: Hearing Aids are expensive

Reality: In a perfect world, cost wouldn’t be an issue, but like many other products on the market, hearing aids have different price points as well.

There are a range of budget-friendly technology options available, with some models even offering a lower initial entry point which can be upgraded via an open platform later. Government subsidies (if eligible), ancillary private health insurance benefits, and even possible industrial noise damage claim opportunities can all go a long way. With growing research linking hearing loss to other conditions such as early onset dementia, cognitive decline and a heightened risk of falling, the risks of inaction come with a potentially even greater cost.