What Can You Do If Someone You Care About Has
Difficulty Hearing?
If someone you know suffers from hearing loss, you already know it's a challenging
time for everyone close to that person including family, friends, colleagues and
coworkers.
Sometimes, the change can be so gradual or subtle that you're not sure whether it's
actually a hearing loss. Unlike many conditions, hearing loss is often hard to detect
in its early stages.
Common Signs of Hearing Loss
Some of the most common indicators of hearing loss include:
- turning up the volume of the TV or radio
- problems hearing the doorbell or the telephone ringing
- difficulty hearing people calling and talking from behind or in another room
- asking people to repeat themselves or saying "what?" frequently
- misunderstanding or "forgetting" what has been said or agreed upon
- often cupping hands behind the ears
How You Can Help
If you believe a family member, friend or colleague is suffering from undiagnosed
hearing loss, encourage him or her to contact a family doctor or
hearing care professional and request a simple test to check for a hearing
problem.
In most cases, the hearing test will detect a hearing loss if one is present, as
well as determine the type
of loss. Based on the hearing test, the hearing professional can recommend
the use of a hearing
device or other treatment.