Approximately 3 million Canadians suffer from hearing loss, or 1 in 10 people. Hearing health decline is an invisible disability that can affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. Hearing loss is expected, however, often ignored by individuals until the effects of untreated hearing loss impact not only themselves but also everyone around them.
What is a Hearing Test?
A hearing specialist will first ask you a few questions. For example:- What situations do you find yourself in that cause you to think your hearing health has gotten worse?
- Have you been/are you exposed to very loud noises at work?
Have You Noticed a Difference with Your Hearing?
Having a hearing loss might become noticeable for you as you start to miss out on the conversations with your loved ones in a busy restaurant, or you need to turn up the TV to be able to hear your favourite TV program properly. Safety can also be an issue with hearing loss. Imagine if you don’t hear the car right behind you when walking in a busy city or if you don’t hear the fire alarm in your home.
Self-Evaluation Questions
Answering the following questions with either “Yes” or “No” can give you an initial idea of how well you can hear:
- Are speech and sounds loud enough, but unclear?
- Do you feel others are mumbling or speaking unintelligible?
- Do you find it challenging to follow conversations in large groups?
- Is it more difficult when there is background noise? Ex. Restaurants or pubs.
- Do others often ask for you to turn the TV down?
- Do you no longer look forward to celebrations and events?
If you answered “Yes” to 2 or more questions, we recommend that you book a hearing test with a Hearing Instrument Specialist today.