Hearing Loss

Things to know

Who has hearing loss?

• About a third of Americans between ages of 65 and 74.

• About half over age 85

How do I know if I have a hearing loss?

See your doctor if you: • Have trouble hearing over the telephone, • Find it hard to follow conversations when two or more

people are talking, • Need to turn up the TV volume so loud that others

complain, • Have a problem hearing because of background

noise, • Sense that others seem to mumble, or • Can't understand when women and children speak to

you. • http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20432

Causes of hearing loss

• Aging• Ear wax buildup• Exposure to loud noise over long period of time• Viral or bacterial infections• Heart conditions• Head injuries• Tumors• Medicines (certain)• Heredity

How can I help a friend with hearing loss?

• Here are some tips you can use when talking with someone who has a hearing problem:

• Face the person and talk clearly.• Speak at a reasonable speed. • Stand in good lighting & reduce background noises. • Use facial expressions or gestures to give useful

clues. • Repeat yourself if necessary, using different words. • Be patient; stay positive and relaxed. • Ask how you can help.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20432&page=2

What can I do if I have trouble hearing?

• Let people know that you have trouble hearing. • Ask people to face you, and to speak more slowly

and clearly; also ask them to speak without shouting.

• Pay attention to what is being said and to facial expressions or gestures.

• Let the person talking know if you do not understand.

• Ask people to reword a sentence and try again

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20432&page=2

Hearing Aids: Generalizations

All hearing aids have:• Microphone (pick up sound)• Amplifier (make sound louder)• Speaker (bring sound to ear)• Battery

Hearing aids

•Behind the ear (all ages, mild to profound hearing loss)•In the ear (mild to severe hearing loss)•Canal (small, difficult to adjust and move, not suitable for children or people with severe or profound hearing loss

Can be analog or digital•Analog (covert sound into electrical signals, then amplified)Less expensive•Digital (convert sound waves into numerical codes, then amplify)Can be adjusted to certain listening environments, more expensive than analog

Cochlear Implants

Device is implanted behind the ear during surgery.• Only for severer hearing loss• Helps person hear sounds & conversations• Parts:

– Electronic devise placed in bone of skull– Wires & electrodes inserted into inner ear– Microphone & transmitter worn outside body

Tools to help with hearing loss

• Assistive technology– Personal FM systems with your own

microphone and speaker.– Infrared systems (sound transmitted by

infrared light)– Induction loop system (induction loop

permanently installed, and connects to mike used by speaker, hearing aid picks up signal)

– Other tools include phone amplifying devices, amplified answering machines, paging systems, etc.

Visual tools for hearing impaired

• Alerting devises (such as doorbell, smoke alarms, baby crying devises, vibrating watch alarms)

• Text telephones• Computerized speech recognition• Closed captioning TV