If you are communicating regularly, it's because everyone else is yelling at you. Home may be okay, but even the lightest background noise knocks you out of conversation. TV is jumbled, you probably use a Bose or TV ears to watch it. The phone needs to be on speaker. You have stopped going out to eat or attending parties because it's just too difficult. Unfortunately, it sounds like this person is suffering from a severe hearing loss.
It's not a question of whether or not you have a hearing loss. It's a question of whether you could ever do anything about it. It's probably been a problem for so long that it would be overwhelming to fix, right? Maybe at first, but your brain has more plasticity than you expect.
Many people don't see the problem until they hit the moderate level of hearing loss, as that is the volume of most communication. Unless you suffered from an infection, medical issue or a sudden hearing loss, you probably know that you have had hearing difficulties for some time. Some people are so convinced that hearing loss is appropriate with aging that they wait decades to do something. Moderate hearing loss is when your hearing becomes a nuisance. Severe hearing loss is when your hearing is now a hindrance.
What should you look for in a power hearing aid? When you're dealing with power hearing aids, it's important to begin thinking about the pressure in the ear. Power products can emit a lot of pressure at times, and they usually are fit with some kind of earmold to keep the sound in. This requires a bit of a learning curve for your brain. A power BTE or ITE is probably what you need. These products can be a little bit less discreet but are always full function, which means they are a better bang for your buck.
Speaking of "bang for your buck", many people believe the most powerful hearing aids are the most expensive. You can actually fit power aids at every level, but there are some things to consider. Frequency compression is a feature that many power aids need, which takes the highest sounds and drops their pitch to reduce the chance of feedback occurring. This may be mandatory to get your best fit, and should be asked about if you know you're severe. Also, consider how loud the hearing aids could potentially make background noise. You may also want background noise reduction to keep the hearing aid from getting distorted.
Severe hearing losses require some work. You may not have heard certain sounds in years. Your brain will not pick those sounds back up overnight. Be patient and honest with your hearing care provider about your progress. It's okay if you cannot wear the instruments a full 8 hours the first week. Just build towards realistic goals and work towards an appropriate wear-time.
Nova works with mild, moderate and severe patients every day. For more details about our products, click around the rest of the website or call us at 757-222-5991