Do You Need A Hearing Aid For Mild Hearing Loss?

When it comes to understanding and diagnosing hearing loss, it can be difficult to know when you need to seek professional help, particularly if you don’t think it’s severe. There are four main degrees of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe and profound. Hearing loss can affect people of different ages; however, they are more common in older adults ages 50 years and over.

Whatever the situation, it is possible for anyone experiencing hearing loss to partially or fully restore their loss with the help of hearing aids. This post will focus solely on mild hearing loss, a condition many people in the United States have no idea they are experiencing. Statistics indicate that nearly 25.4-million individuals have mild hearing loss! This article will help you understand mild hearing loss, its causes and the best hearing aids to help improve your quality of life and lessen your risk of other hearing loss-related illnesses.

What is Mild Hearing Loss?

Medically, a person experiencing mild hearing loss could not hear sounds less than 40dBs. For comparison, a standard whisper is about 30dBs, and the sound of rustling leaves is about 20 decibels. People of all ages can experience mild hearing loss, which usually begins slowly, making it difficult to identify or take note of. With mild hearing loss, you will most likely be capable of hearing most sounds, provided you are in a quiet environment. However, your hearing can become distorted in a noisy area. It can also get difficult to focus on your conversation when there is too much sound surrounding you, making it seem like the other person is mumbling their words.

Causes of Mild Hearing Loss

Many people with suspected cases of mild hearing loss will likely think their inability to hear properly could be due to a buildup of earwax and that the solution is a quick wash to clean that buildup. However, you would never know for sure without an official diagnosis from a certified audiologist.

Many factors cause mild hearing loss, so keep this in mind. They include:

• Constant exposure to noise
• Aging
• Excess earwax production
• Ear infections
• Bone abnormalities in the ear
• Congenital disabilities
• Genetics
• Meniere’s disease and head trauma can cause mild hearing loss

Signs You Might Have Mild Hearing Loss

Mild hearing loss can be hard to spot until the situation upgrades to another level. But when identified early, you easily remedy your diagnosis with the help of an audiologist. Here are some signs that you might have mild hearing loss:

• You find it difficult to focus on conversations in a loud area.
• It’s taking you longer to hear and process information faster.
• You watch TV with the volume turned up much louder than before.
• You struggle to hear common telephone conversations.
• You constantly ask people to repeat themselves during face-to-face conversations.

If you are showing a mild hearing loss, it would be best to visit your audiologist for a hearing test to receive an official diagnosis and treatment.

Do You Need a Hearing Aid for Mild Hearing Loss?

You would only know if you need a hearing aid for your mild hearing loss once you have undergone a full assessment. An audiologist officially diagnoses you and determines if you will need a hearing aid. Many modern hearing aid designs are stylish and are designed to not get in the way of your day-to-day activities. The best hearing aid styles include:

• In the ear (ITE): People experiencing mild hearing loss can wear ITEs. These hearing aids fit your outer ear. They are much more suitable for adults, not children whose ears are still growing.

• In the canal (ITC): These hearing aids are also suitable for people with mild hearing loss. They are placed inside the ear and are harder to spot.

• Behind the ear (BTE): As its name suggests, BTEs are placed behind the ear, and people experiencing mild hearing loss can use them. However, they are the largest of all the devices, so keep this in mind if you are wanting something more discreet.

Based on factors such as age, comfort and preferences, your audiologist will tell you which hearing aid will help make living with mild hearing loss possible. They will also teach you how to adjust to your new life with hearing aids and care for them. In addition to hearing aid style, you will also work with your audiologist to determine what features you will benefit most from. These could range from directional microphones to Bluetooth connectivity.

If you have any more questions on mild hearing loss and if you would need a hearing aid, please do not hesitate to contact Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance at (801) 685-3456.