Excellent Resources for Those With Hearing Loss

Hearing loss prevents you from being able to hear effectively, which can have a major impact on day to day life. Some people may not be able to hear specific frequencies, making it difficult for them to hear consonants with a higher pitch. A hearing impairment can also make it more difficult to process sounds if there’s a lot of background noise, like in a restaurant or at a family gathering. Hearing impairments can range from mild hearing loss to severe hearing loss.

Individuals who have a hearing impairment may be discouraged, and may experience mental health issues, such as depression, due to the inability to interact with others. If you’re losing your hearing, you may also experience stress if your hearing issues affect your ability to work or engage in preferred activities. Fortunately, if you’re affected by hearing loss, you can use these resources to cope with your condition and maintain your quality of life.

Audiologists

Audiologists specialize in treating people with hearing problems. These medical professionals are required to earn a doctoral degree and are qualified to use hearing tests to diagnose patients and develop an appropriate treatment plan to address hearing impairments.

Your audiologist can educate you about hearing care strategies, such as hearing aids, that you can use to prevent further hearing issues. They can also prescribe Resound hearing aids to compensate for your hearing issues. High-quality hearing aids filter out distortion and background noise to ensure they provide you with clear sounds you can process. Your audiologist will ensure that your hearing aids are a good fit for your personal needs, and they will fit the hearing aids to your ears correctly. Your audiologist will also provide information about other ways to communicate.

Sign Language

You can learn how to read lips or use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with others. Even if you’re able to restore some of your hearing with hearing aids, you could benefit from developing other communication methods, particularly if you’re affected by genetic hearing loss or developed a hearing impairment before you reached retirement age. Progressive genetic hearing loss worsens over time, which means mild hearing issues can become severe or profound hearing loss. People with severe hearing impairments can’t hear speech that isn’t amplified, while people with profound hearing loss struggle to hear even amplified speech.

Age-related hearing loss is common, and individuals who suffer a hearing impairment before retirement age may experience further hearing issues as they age. Learning ASL as soon as you start to develop hearing loss will ensure you can communicate effectively as your hearing impairment progresses.

Mental Health Support

The Hearing Loss Association of America has support groups across the United States. Joining a support group can be the best way to meet other people dealing with the same challenges you’re experiencing. You may be able to pick up effective coping strategies to compensate for your hearing impairment. You’ll also have a chance to make friends who understand your condition and can give you opinions on the various hearing aid model they’re using.

Attending therapy sessions can help you process your feelings about your hearing issues. You may also be affected by trauma if your hearing impairment was caused by a car crash or workplace accident. Learn what to expect during your first therapy session before your first session with your counselor to ensure you’re prepared. A psychiatrist can also guide you through the therapeutic process, as well as prescribing mental health medications, to help you address mental health issues stemming from your hearing impairment.

Technology and Services

Losing your ability can affect your ability to engage in routine activities, such as answering phone calls. You may also be nervous about driving because of your inability to hear traffic or audible warnings. If you’re nervous about driving, you could consider purchasing a driverless car. Self-driving cars are equipped with sensors and can compensate for your hearing deficit. Review the facts and statics for self-driving cars to determine if this is a good option. If you lost your hearing in a car crash you may have anxiety about driving, and feel more comfortable using a driverless vehicle, but, at the end of the day, it’s up to you. You can also use Uber services to transport you from place to place.

Equip your home with appropriate devices, such as visual doorbells. Visual doorbells either light up or flash when someone presses the doorbell. You can also purchase an alarm clock that vibrates your bed to wake you up. Applications with voice-recognition software can translate speech to text so you can communicate with people over the phone.

Living with a hearing impairment can be stressful and challenging. Audiologists will ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis and determine appropriate treatment options for your condition. Developing new communication methods will allow you to interact with others. Support groups and counselors can help you deal with the challenges of living with hearing issues. You can also compensate for your hearing impairment with visual doorbells, vibrating alarm clocks, and other technological devices.

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