How to Find Out If I Need a Hearing Aid?

Asking yourself if you need a hearing aid may be a big question you try to put off in life. A lot of people wait approximately seven years from the time they are told they have a hearing issue to finally getting hearing aids. 

While everybody has their own reasons, many people can be in denial of the fact they need help with their hearing, but also feel that there is a stigma attached to hearing aids, not to mention the fact that people think hearing aids are more trouble than they are worth. But if you want to find out if you need a hearing aid, here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

Do I struggle with hearing basic conversations?

You may feel you don't need hearing aids because you can generally hear people fine apart from a few situations. But if you have issues in following basic conversations and there are certain signs that suggest you may need to go to an audiologist, such as reading people's lips rather than making eye contact, as well as struggling to hear someone right in front of you in a public place like a restaurant or a mall, you may benefit from hearing test to double-check you don't have any long-term problems. 

If you find yourself frustrated at the end of a social event because you cannot hear people, the addition of a hearing aid can help you focus on higher pitch noises rather than the low hum of background noise. It's important to remember if you feel it's easier to not speak to someone because you struggle to follow them, you can gradually become withdrawn.

Do I turn up the TV a lot?

While most people in our families complain about the TV being too loud, if you are someone who struggles to follow the plot of something because there is a mixture of dialogue, music and sound effects, this could be another telltale sign that you need a hearing aid. Hearing aids are compatible with televisions these days thanks to Bluetooth, but a hearing aid can help you to follow your favorite shows with ease.

Do I just struggle to focus?

You may believe that you just need to pay more attention, but the telltale sign when you are in conversation with other people is that you struggle to follow what they're saying properly. If you find yourself distracted, it can mean that your quality of life is not as good as it could be.

If you want to find out if you need a hearing aid, it's recommended to book an appointment with an audiologist. They can provide a wide range of tests to determine if you actually have problems with your hearing. Getting hearing aids is still a stigma for some people, but while many people are put off wearing hearing aids, there are a wide variety of reasons you should get one:

It will improve your quality of life

If you experience hearing loss and it's left untreated, you can gradually retreat into your shell. There are several studies that have shown people are more likely to experience isolation, anxiety and even depression due to hearing loss.

There is less chance of memory loss or dementia

Studies have shown people who have hearing loss are more likely to have issues with their memory, which means they are at a greater risk for developing age-related cognitive decline, such as dementia which is due to the simple reason that the brain is not being stimulated as it should. Wearing hearing aids provides that additional stimulation for the brain which can benefit your health.

You will socialize more

Communication is the most important thing to improve relationships in life. Socializing more is beneficial for our quality of life. If there is a breakdown in communication or a lack of socializing because it is easier to stay at home rather than getting exhausted trying to follow people's conversations, hearing aids can be a little thing that improves life in more ways than we realize.

If you want to find out if you need a hearing aid, it's crucial to book an appointment with an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing test. You can get in contact with the Physicians Hearing Center today at (334) 441-4090 to get an appointment if you suspect a hearing issue. If hearing loss is confirmed, you can start wearing hearing aids as soon as possible, so you can experience a better quality of life.