GeneralHow To Cope with Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a condition that can make one feel depressed and uncomfortable. Not being able to immediately hear others when they talk to you can hinder communication and negatively impact your social life.

But the good news is you can cope with hearing loss and still lead a high-quality lifestyle.

But before going into that, what exactly is hearing loss?

What is Hearing Loss?

According to the World Health Organization, a person has hearing loss if they’re no longer able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing. It is not exactly deafness, the complete inability to hear sounds, but a reduction in how well you can hear.

It’s caused by several factors such as:

• Prolonged exposure to overly loud sounds
• Excessive ear wax
• Aging
• Side effects of certain medication
• Congenital disabilities, or
• Some underlying diseases.

Hearing loss can also occur when you suffer an ear injury from an object.

Types of Hearing Loss

1. Conductive hearing loss (CHL)

This type of hearing loss is a result of problems with the outer or middle ear, such as earwax, infection, ruptured eardrum, fluids, and growth.

2. Sensorineural hearing loss (SHL)

This type results from problems with the inner ear or auditory nervous system.

Is There a Cure for Hearing Loss?

Unfortunately, hearing loss cannot be cured but can be managed. Technology has provided us with tools we can use to cope with it.

Coping with Hearing Loss

There are many ways by which you can aid hearing. Some people opt for surgery and cochlear implants, and others go for hearing aids.

Most people who have hearing loss find hearing aids very effective as these devices help make sounds louder and repress background noise. You could also get a smart Bluetooth hearing aid that comes with a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have to worry about buying new batteries frequently.

Hearing aids are also notably a cost-effective way to cope with hearing loss.

Some Helpful Habits to Cope with Hearing Loss

Coping with hearing loss doesn’t have to be a one-sided affair. You could tell your family and friends about your condition and ask if they could always keep that in mind when talking to you.

You could also adopt some helpful habits when communicating so you could hear people better.

Some helpful tips below include:

• When talking face-to-face with people, stand or sit very close to them.
• If somebody speaks to you and you’re not exactly sure you got it, try repeating to yourself what you thought you heard.
• Ask people to rephrase rather than repeating exactly what they’ve said.
• When alone, lower background noises that can hinder you from hearing should someone call out to you. Some background sound includes loud music or TV.
• Stay away from sources of loud sounds when in public environments.
• Practice lip reading. You could get someone to help you.

Preventing Hearing Loss

If you’ve not yet developed hearing loss, then it’s highly advisable to do your best to prevent it. This is especially true for people working in factories and other noisy work environments.

Speak to your doctor about what options are available to prevent hearing loss in such situations, such as wearing ear protectors.

And if you or a loved one is already battling this condition, speak to your doctor or get a hearing aid as soon as possible to ensure life doesn’t get unbearable.

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