STRUGGLING TO HEAR?
TINY DEVICES CAN KEEP YOU CONNECTED
Many people slowly lose their
hearing as they get older. Not
being able to hear well can make
it hard to communicate. That
can affect your relationships,
emotional well-being, and work
performance.
For those who need them,
hearing aids can help. These
electronic devices are worn in
or behind the ears. They make
sounds louder. Close to 29 million
adults could benefit from
hearing aids, yet only 1 in 4 of
them has ever used one.
An exam of your ears, nose,
and throat might detect a physical
reason why you’re not hearing
as well. You may want to
start by talking with your primary
care provider or an ear,
nose, and throat doctor, also
known as an ENT or otolaryngologist.
A doctor can look for ear
wax, an infection, injury, or
other reason for hearing loss. A
hearing test can show the type
and amount of hearing loss. For
a hearing test, your doctor may
refer you to an audiologist.
If ear wax or an ear infection
is the cause, the hearing loss may
be temporary. Other causes,
such as nerve damage, may lead
to more permanent hearing loss.
Nerve damage can be caused by
loud noises, as a side effect of
certain medicines, or for other
reasons. Hearing
aids may help in
these cases.
40 Healthy Living | Spring Issue | 2018
Some people
don’t want
to try hearing
aids because of
how they think
it might look to
others. “Hearing
loss is far more
obvious than
a hearing aid,”
says Dr. Kelly
King, an NIH
hearing health
expert. “The
hard work peo-
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