Hearing loss can make navigating noisy environments tricky. The good news is the right pair of hearing aids can help.
Four Reasons Why Noisy Environments Are Challenging for Those with Hearing Loss
- Inability to hear high-frequency sounds. In many cases of hearing loss, your ability to hear high-frequency sounds is one of the first things affected. This makes it much harder to distinguish speech as many consonants are high-frequency sounds. When you add background noise into the mix, it makes following conversations with friends at Players Grill that much more complicated.
- Struggle with sound direction. Hearing loss can also worsen your ability to correctly determine where sounds are coming from. In a busy, loud environment like a bar or music festival, the sounds you want to focus on can get lost among the background noise. You may especially struggle to follow the conversation if someone to your side or behind you is speaking.
- Loud noises can be overwhelming. Loud noises can be especially overwhelming for people with hearing loss because some people with the condition experience higher sensitivity to sounds that are above a certain threshold.
- Listening fatigue. The extra effort required to listen when you have hearing loss can take its toll. You may find yourself feeling fatigued quicker than you used to. Since louder environments take more energy to try and hear, the fatigue may come on especially fast. This can lead to greater misunderstandings and frustration.
Hearing Aids Make Listening Easier in Any Environment
Modern hearing aids are equipped with features to improve your experience, even in loud environments. A 2021 study found that hearing aids with a dynamic environment control system are highly effective for speech perception in noisy environments.
These systems as well as those of many other modern hearing aids, can analyze your environment and quickly adjust their settings to suppress distracting background noise, enhance speech recognition, and help improve direction location.
Visit an Audiologist Today
If you’ve noticed that you have been struggling to hear in noisy environments or have experienced any other problems with your hearing, schedule an appointment for a hearing test today. These are quick, painless exams that give your audiologist immediate insight into the severity of your hearing loss. Together you can work to find the right pair of hearing aids that meet your individual needs.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call North Shore Audio-Vestibular Lab today.