What did you say?

Where to start when your hearing starts to go

Have you been in a group of people and found yourself nodding and smiling, throwing in an occasional “that’s nice,” but you couldn’t actually hear the conversation? Or does your spouse often ask you to turn the television down…or up? If these instances sound familiar, chances are the cause is hearing loss.

According to an assessment by the Hearing Loss Association of America, only about one-fifth of people who could benefit from hearing devices actually utilize them. This leaves many people, who could experience improved hearing, incorporating phrases like “Could you repeat that?” into their daily conversations.

Scientific studies indicate hearing loss has a number of possible side effects including isolation, anxiety and depression. But the latest research gives a stunning reason for dealing with questions about your hearing as soon as possible.

According to a recent study published by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, there is  strong evidence that the use of hearing aids may decrease the risk of dementia in older adults.

People delay the decision to get hearing aids for several reasons, the least of which most likely being vanity. In days past, hearing aids were bulky devices that were easily noticed. Today’s hearing aids come in a variety of shapes and sizes, most of which are nearly invisible to the casual observer.

Many delay pursuing hearing aids because of a cost barrier. The cost of hearing aids ranges from inexpensive over-the-counter devices priced less than $100 to higher-end aids costing up to $10,000 per pair. The highest priced models have added features like Bluetooth connection, fall detection and remote microphones.

Perhaps the biggest barrier is finding the right information and knowing where to start. The internet is full of reviews and options, but do-it-yourself research is time-consuming.

The first step in getting the right hearing aids for your individual needs is to check with your doctor. It’s always possible that your ears just need simple wax removal. If not, your physician should be able to direct you to a licensed audiologist. You can find audiologists in university settings including the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa, in hospital settings or private practice.  

One of the best places to get help is the John W. Keys Speech and Hearing Clinic at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Central Rural Electric Cooperative member Dr. Erin Benear (AuD) is the director of the clinic, audiology clinical coordinator and clinical assistant professor.

“We do a very standard but comprehensive evaluation,” Benear says. “We are also teaching students so we are providing excellent patient care but also training our students who will be future audiologists.”

Testing starts with looking in the ear to make sure it is healthy and clear, checking the middle ear to see how well the ear drum is moving and making sure nothing else is going on. Then the testing proceeds to checking how well the patient understands words and determining the range of pitches and volumes at which the patient can hear.

Dr. Benear says, “We take all that information and get a good picture of what that person’s hearing looks like and from there we can make a recommendation on whether they have hearing loss and what treatment will be best for that patient. It is  completely individualized based on their communication needs.”

As for choosing hearing aids, Dr. Suzanne Kimball (AuD), professor and undergraduate program director says, “New hearing aids come out about every six months.”

She adds that there are about six major manufacturers of hearing aids, but lots of different brand names.

“Our students take multiple classes on hearing aids,” she says.

Because the clinic is a teaching institution, patients can receive a discount on hearing aids purchased there. Clinicians also have information on various programs to help lower-income patients afford the devices. 

Hearing aids are also available over the counter, even in big box stores. However, the disadvantage is often the lack of trained audiologists. While some offer the services of hearing instrument specialists licensed to evaluate common forms of hearing loss and fit and program hearing aids, these technicians are not qualified to diagnose more complex problems.

It takes some time to get used to hearing aids. Your brain must reacquaint itself with sounds it has forgotten; even your own voice may sound odd.

Get ready for some surprises — the sound of a knife slicing a crisp apple, hearing the refrigerator motor switching on and off and hearing whole conversations without having to guess missing words. But the best of all is not having to ask, “What did you say?”