What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss is the inability to hear sound in one or both ears. Many people don’t realize that hearing loss is incredibly common, in fact over 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. When left untreated, hearing loss can have a negative impact on your overall health and well-being. Hearing loss doesn’t just make the world sound quieter, but it prevents your brain from receiving certain sound signals. After time, this can result in cognitive decline and even difficulty with speech comprehension.
The best solution to managing hearing loss is with hearing aids. At Hometown Hearing, we carry a wide range of hearing aids to help you manage your hearing loss. Our hearing instrument specialist is an expert in the different hearing aid technologies and can help you find a device that will allow you to hear better.
Signs of Hearing Loss
In most cases, hearing loss occurs gradually, over the course of a few years. For this reason, it can be difficult to recognize the signs of hearing loss, especially if you have been missing sounds for some time. Often times a family member or a close friend will notice the signs of hearing loss before you do. If a loved one suggests you have your hearing tested, then you most likely have hearing loss. It’s important to make an appointment with us at the first signs of hearing loss in order to prevent losing any speech comprehension or from experiencing cognitive decline.
Some common signs of hearing loss include:
- You often ask people to repeat themselves
- It seems like everyone around you mumbles
- You have a hard time understanding people when there is background noise (such as when you are in a restaurant)
- You feel tired after conversations
- You have a difficult time hearing the person on the other end of the phone
- It’s difficult to hear women’s and children’s voices
- You turn the TV volume up louder than everyone else
Hearing and Your Health
Your hearing is connected to your overall health and well-being. Sometimes hearing loss can be the result of an underlying health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. Annual visits with your physician will catch any signs of these conditions early. It’s also important to visit us at Hometown Hearing for regular hearing screenings. Just like you go to the doctor or dentist for regular check-ups, you should monitor your hearing health as well, especially if you are over the age of 60. We can catch any signs of hearing loss early and help you be proactive about your hearing health.
Hearing loss can do more than just affect your ability to hear. It can also affect your ability to effectively communicate with your loved ones. Hearing loss affects your ability to hear and process certain sounds and frequencies. When left untreated, eventually your brain will forget those sounds. This can lead to cognitive decline and even dementia. In order to be proactive about your hearing and your overall health it’s important to manage the signs of hearing loss early with hearing aids. With hearing aids, you will be able to clearly hear the sounds you have been missing, keeping your brain active and healthy. Hearing aids allow you to communicate with the people you love and to continue living your best life.
our offices
Des Moines Office
1230 8th St, Suite 102
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Mon 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Wed 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Fri 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Newton office
221 1st Ave West
Newton, IA 50208
Tue 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Thurs 9:00AM – 4:00PM