At age 47 I eventually was coerced by my boss to get my hearing checked recently when there had been some misunderstandings between me and some customers about who said what to who.
Turns out my hearing loss is moderate, only in the high frequency range and apparently not uncommon for “someone my age”. Truth be told I knew my hearing had deteriorated in recent years and if I’m honest I would say I had noticeably experienced difficulties for about 7 years, but like many I suspect, I did nothing about it. I could give all the excuses from denial to just plain stubborn headedness or vanity, after all, I was too young to have a hearing problem ! Well in 2 days time I join the elite group who have recognized their problem and will wear hearing aids.
Being totally ignorant on the whole hearing aid subject I’ve spent the last couple of weeks researching the subject from why hearing deteriorates to what all the bells and whistles on a digital hearing aid can do for you. First off, I got sticker shock. A modern digital hearing aid is no cheap fix like spectacles have become or you think of modern electronics as getting more and more features or quality for less and less money. Then there is the stigma to get over of actually wearing hearing aids for all to see than you have a problem or think that you are deaf. Then, I remembered a girl I went to primary school with back in the 70’s who had this big chrome microphone, battery pack on her chest, curly wires leading to plug like stoppers in her ears and realize things have come al long way indeed. I’m so fortunate to have access to these now tiny little devices you can hardly see tucked behind your ear, with a battery the size of my little fingernail that will power them for about a week – My BIG decision was what colors to have them – Match my hair (Salt & Pepper) or the colors of my favorite soccer team (Orange and Black). The rest I have trusted to my audiologist and a 30 day trial.
I guess all Im trying to say here is that if, in the unlikely event that you are reading this as you have recognized a change in your hearing, don’t wait like me until you nearly lose your job or something equally as devastating, go see an ear, nose and throat specialist Doctor. If it turns out you do need assistance with your hearing, it really is not such a big deal these days.
……and in case you’re wondering, my wife insisted on the salt and pepper colors.