Adult Hearing

Approximately 28 million American men, women, and children have hearing loss that can significantly interfere with communication. Additionally, millions of Americans have tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears), auditory processing problems, frequent ear infections, and balance problems that can occur with or without hearing loss and at any age.

Hearing and Adults
Careers, family, and social life place many demands on active adults. You want to be the best at what you do, and having good communication skills is essential. However, you notice that things just don’t sound as clear or loud as they used to. Perhaps you’re having a hard time understanding conversations. Were you supposed to bring 50 brochures to that important meeting or was it 15? You misunderstood. Your child’s recital was on the fifth not the sixth – you missed it.  Voice mail messages always seem garbled, and you can’t get the phone numbers right. It takes so much concentration to follow conversations.  I’m exhausted every night when I get home.  This is the way many active adults experience life. In many instances these frustations are due to hearing loss. An audiologist can help you find out and then provide you with the intervention, rehabilitation, and prevention services you need to be successful in your career and with your family.

Hearing and Mature Adults
Phew! Now that you’ve retired, you want to just sit back and enjoy life. You’re going to play with your grandchildren, go to the theater, travel, and do all the things you’ve dreamed of doing. But for some reason you feel isolated. You often have to ask people to repeat themselves, and they’re annoyed with you and you’re annoyed with them. The grandchildren speak much too “softly” and they “mumble”; why won’t they just speak up? Your spouse complains that the TV is too loud, you no longer enjoy going to the theater, going out to dinner is a chore, and you’ve even stopped attending social gatherings. These are all signs that a hearing loss may be present. An audiologist can test your hearing and provide you with services that can help you hear and communicate better.

Is it Time to See an Audiologist?

Check the following:

• Ringing, roaring, or buzzing in one or both ears
• TV is set louder than others would like to enjoy
• Often ask people to repeat what they have said
• Difficulty understanding speech
• Speech sounds muffled or dull
• Problems listening in noise or in groups
• Academic problems
• Behavioral problems
• Inconsistent response to sounds
• Failed hearing screening
• Problems socializing with peers
• Frequent ear infections
• Delayed speech and language development
• Family/friend concerned about hearing status
• Sudden drop in hearing in either one or both ears
• Dizziness/lightheadedness/spinning sensation
• Balance problems/unsteadiness

From infancy through the golden years,  Audiologists are the uniquely trained hearing healthcare professionals who can provide information and services to help prevent, identify, diagnose, and/or treat hearing loss, tinnitus, and auditory processing and balance problems. Don’t wait, don’t suffer – there is help and there is hope.