To speak directly to an audiology professional call:
Designed by Jim Steenbergen
What can you do to help prevent your hearing loss?
· Wear earplugs when using loud tools, household equipment, farm and lawn machinery, and when participating in noisy recreational activities.
· Pay attention to the sounds around you and turn down the volume whenever possible.
· Avoid or limit time spent in noisy sports events, rock concerts and night clubs.
· Pick up a pair of free earplugs (donated by 3M) at either of our offices during regular business hours.
· When listening to your portable audio device, if you have to raise your voice to be heard from an arms length away, then the volume is set at a level that will cause hearing loss. Likewise when someone is more than an arms length away from you and can hear your music, then the volume is set at a level that will cause hearing loss.
Understanding Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Video
Did you know 31.5 million Americans are hearing impaired?
That means 1 in 10 people have a hearing loss.
Tips on How to Speak to People with a Hearing Loss
· Hearing loss can be invisible…Many people with a hearing loss don’t always have a visible hearing aid or cochlear implant. Only one fifth get hearing aids for their problem. Hearing loss can be mild, moderate, severe or deaf; adjust your speech accordingly.
· Speak clearly and use good lighting….Speak slowly and clearly. Very often just slowing down your speech makes it more understandable. Many hearing impaired people just take slightly longer to grasp what is being said. Don’t yell.
· Turn down the music, TV….Be aware noise will interfere with understanding speech. Hearing aids will amplify background noise as well as speech; the user finds it difficult to distinguish speech from other sounds. The newer programmable digital models of hearing aids can be helpful in this situation.
· Attention please…..First get the person’s attention and face the person you are speaking to. Many people use cues from your lips to aid in understanding speech.
· Double check….You can ask the individual to verify what was being said. This is especially important for date, time, and place you will be meeting someone.
· Be patient and rephrase….If a person doesn’t understand, repeat, and then rephrase the sentence, using different words. Have patience and be cheerful. The listener will appreciate it when you don’t mind repeating what was being said.
· To check your hearing….See your physician or audiologist.
Information provided by Hearing Loss Association of Kalamazoo and the Quota Club of Kalamazoo