Getting a Hearing Aid - It Could Be The Right Decision
While not as strong as it might have been twenty years ago, there is still a certain stigma surrounding the use of a hearing aid. Still, it is important to take care of your health needs, even if it means meeting your fears and self-consciousness and battling them down.
This stigma is probably stronger in the minds of those considering their use than to anyone else,
but the fact remains that people are hesitant to get them for this reason. Still, it is important to take care of your health needs, even if it means meeting your fears and self-consciousness and battling them down. Auditory loss is not easy to treat, but the right listening device can make a big difference.
Uneven Auditory Loss
Many people put off the use of a hearing aid because they believe that their auditory loss is restricted to a single ear. First of all, there are devices that can be used in only one ear or the other, so this is not a valid reason not to seek help. Secondly, most people with advanced loss in one ear have loss in the other ear, as well. It's exceedingly uncommon to find someone who has one perfect ear and one with substantial loss, unless some sort of injury was to blame for the problem. If you believe that this is the case with your impairment, consider seeking out a specialist to have your ears checked. You may be surprised.
Dealing with the Stigma
Perhaps you're putting off the purchase of a hearing aid because you don't want others to regard you as being different. This is a common fear. No one wants to risk being treated differently or being seen as less valid because they have an impairment. Facts are facts, though. If you have an impairment, you have it whether you seek help for it or not. Someone who has to squint through a movie or sit front row at the theater isn't fooling anyone by not wearing his or her glasses. The same is true for those with auditory impairment. If you can't hear well, people already know.
Doctor Evaluation
Many people who could benefit from the use of a hearing aid never bother to look for information or help because they think their doctor would have told them if they were suffering from auditory loss. Studies have shown that less than 15% of general physicians check for auditory loss on a regular basis, however. Think about it. When was the last time you put on headphones and took an audiometric test? For many people, it's been since high school. If you think you have auditory impairment, you probably do. Have your ears checked and get the assistance you need.
