Social Isolation and Hearing Loss

Do you or someone you love avoid social situations due to hearing loss? Many people choose not to engage in social activities because they are embarrassed by their hearing loss. Some folks who cannot understand what others are saying, especially in situations with significant background noise, would rather avoid those situations than have to ask others to repeat themselves. This starts the process of social isolation and can contribute to loneliness depression.

Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities as we get older. The loss of hearing due to age is called Presbycusis. This type of hearing loss generally occurs gradually and many people feel they hear “just fine” when in fact, they have a significant loss of hearing sensitivity that affects their social interactions and quality of life.  One sign of hearing loss is when people say that they “hear someone talking but they cannot understand what is being said”. This type of comment is typical of someone who is losing their high frequency hearing due to ageing process. When we lose hearing due to age, it is common for high frequencies to be affected first. Since many consonants in the English language are high frequency sounds, the inability of someone to hear these particular sounds interferes with speech understanding. Low frequency sounds are where vowels are located in our language and the power from our speech is low frequency power. Oftentimes speak louder to someone with a hearing loss won’t make things more understandable because the low frequency vowels just get louder and mask the high frequency consonants.

What can you do?

This first step is to identify the problem. Get your hearing evaluated by an Audiologist. Audiologists are trained to identify and manage hearing loss. Management of hearing loss may include referral to an Ear, Nose, and Throat Physician commonly known as an Otolaryngologist. Once any medical issues are resolved, hearing aid amplification may be an option.

Hearing aid amplification is an excellent option for someone with hearing loss due to age.

As we gradually lose our hearing, our brain will “re-wire” itself to make maximum use of the sound it is provided by our ears. We actually hear with our brains, our ears are just the way the sound gets in. Over time, it is difficult for some to notice or admit that they are not hearing well anymore. Once hearing aids are fit, the brain will need to “re-wire” itself again to adjust to the sounds that have been missing for quite some time. This process can take up to 6 months. Most folks will notice significant improvement with-in the first 30 days.

Sometimes people are not comfortable with the cosmetic appearance of hearing aid amplification. That has changed with the invention of “open-fit or thin-tube” fittings today. Cosmetic problems are easily overcome today. There are 2 styles of hearing aids that are nearly invisible when worn.

Today’s hearing aids are sophisticated electronic devices. The overwhelming majority of hearing aids dispensed today are digital hearing aids that allow for significant adjustment to meet the user’s sound quality concerns. Digital hearing aids are a huge advantage compared to analog hearing aids of the past. Today’s hearing aids can have different settings for different environments, can be completely automatic, can have remote controls that allow for user adjustments, and can be connected via Bluetooth technology to Televisions and Telephones. Some hearing aids also have re-chargeable batteries and actually communicate with each other to provide the best sound to the user in varying listening environments.

One of the most important factors in determining hearing aid success is matching the correct set of hearing aids with an individual’s hearing loss and lifestyle. Digital hearing aids that are the wrong style or technology for a particular hearing loss will still perform poorly. It is vital that your level of hearing aid technology and lifestyle match your hearing loss to get the maximum benefit. Audiologists are the most highly trained individuals to perform these services.

Yes, hearing loss can lead to social isolation. But, there are remedies for hearing loss that work well and can bring your social interactions back to life. Do not let your hearing loss affect your quality of life anymore!

This article was written by Dr. Douglas Kloss, Audiologist at Midwest Audiology Center, LLC,  4818 S. 76^th St. Suite 3, Greenfield, WI 53220. (414) 281-8300.