Hearing loss is something that is commonly misunderstood. Many people either believe the myths surrounding the topic or accept false facts. If you have heard about hearing aids or hearing loss, then the chances are that you probably already have your own ideas about what it entails. Hearing loss has been portrayed in many different ways – not all of them are accurate – which has created a multitude of misunderstandings.

Therefore, without seeing a specialist, many people who lose their hearing may well receive conflicting information about what it entails. It is essential to know that if you're experiencing hearing loss, the best place to get all your doubts cleared is by visiting a hearing instrument specialist. In this article, we will look at the most misunderstood ideas about losing one's hearing.

Louder does not always mean better

High volume does not always provide hearing clarity. This is because the louder someone might speak or shout, the higher the possibility that the words will become distorted. It is not appropriate to shout or talk loud when conversing with someone with hearing impairment or getting their attention. All you need to do is first to get their attention physically and speak clearly. If the person with hearing loss still has difficulty understanding what you're saying, try to paraphrase your words. It is also a bad idea to speak and walk away when talking to someone with hearing impairment.

Hearing aids do not work like vision glasses

Vision glasses help to correct vision and turn blurry images into something much clearer. Although hearing aids help immensely, they cannot be the same with glasses to restore one's hearing. Hearing aids do not restore hearing; they only help amplify sounds but not necessarily make them more transparent.

Fortunately, hearing aid technology is continually improving with time. However, most of them still cannot distinguish between any humming background noise from the one speaking voice. This can sometimes make it very difficult for the hearing aid user to concentrate on conversations in such a situation. 

A person with hearing loss is not trying to be rude

If a person experiencing hearing challenges does not react to an "excuse me" or reacts the wrong way, it does not mean that they are rude, ignorant or slow. Hearing loss is not immediately visible from the outside, therefore, it may require trying to communicate with someone or noticing the use of a hearing instrument to realize that they have hearing issues. Anytime someone with hearing loss fails to understand your joke or react to something you said, that does not make them rude or unintelligent.

Hearing requires a lot of hard work

When you live with a hearing impairment or hearing loss, it requires a lot of hard work and effort. People without hearing issues may not realize or appreciate how difficult this situation can be because hearing comes automatically. Whether you are out with friends or in a meeting at work with colleagues, a person experiencing hearing impairment always has to put in extra effort to be attentive.

Most may even resort to needing to read lip movements and body language to assist their understanding – doing this requires a lot of work. It can be both physically and mentally exhausting, meaning that people with hearing loss will leave social gatherings with very little energy left or avoid them altogether. 

Hearing loss does not equate to an inability to speak

The fact that someone is experiencing hearing loss does not mean that they have also lost their ability to speak. However, one of the most challenging things for a person with hearing impairment is dependence. This does not mean that such a person no longer has a voice, an opinion, or does not want to be heard. Because of this, it is essential to keep this need in mind whenever you're in a public place like a restaurant. For example, refrain from ordering foods on their behalf when they can do so for themselves.

Do not give up on the conversation

This goes both ways – that is, to both the person experiencing hearing loss and the other party. Having a conversation with someone with hearing impairment can be frustratingly slow. But try putting yourself in the person's place and having to walk in their shoes – the hard work they have to put into hearing everything you say and keeping the conversation going. It would be very harsh on such a person if you abandoned your discussion with them because of their difficulty. 

To learn more about hearing loss and the Center for Better Hearing, kindly contact us through this phone number: 510-768-7091