http://hearing-aids-washington-pa.com In recognition, Swift Audiology & Hearing Aid Services is taking this time to answer your questions and address your thoughts about hearing loss and hearing aids.

1. Did you know…..October is National
Audiology Awareness Month!
In recognition, Swift Audiology & Hearing Aid
Services is taking this time to answer your
questions and address your thoughts about
hearing loss and hearing aids.
How do I know if I have hearing loss?
You should have your hearing tested if:
1. You are having difficulty hearing over the telephone
2. It seems like people are mumbling
3. Others complain that you have the television up too loudly
4. You have difficulty hearing in the presence of background noise
5. You have difficulty understanding women’s or children’s voices
6. You have ringing or buzzing sounds in your ears
Most hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensory cells in
your inner ear. This type of hearing loss is called sensorineural
hearing loss, and it is usually permanent. The damage can occur
due to aging, noise exposure, genetics, certain medications,
disease, or other factors. In almost all cases, the only treatment
is amplification.1
Many people don’t realize they have hearing loss until it becomes
fairly significant…..but the people around them usually do. This is
because hearing loss usually occurs gradually, and month to
month changes aren’t perceptible.
Friends and family often compensate for their loved one’s hearing
loss by speaking louder, automatically repeating themselves, or
not speaking up when they know they’ve been misheard. Though
Swift Audiology And Hearing Aid Service
(724) 825-4480

2. done out of love, it can prevent the person with hearing loss from
seeking the necessary treatment.
“The best method for breaking through your loved one’s
resistance to hearing help is for YOU to stop being their ears.”
(Dr. Richard Carmen)
I’m old, what do I need to hear for?There are so many reasons, I
don’t know where to start! Besides being able to communicate
with your family, friends, doctors, etc, hearing aids have been
shown to improve a person’s social, emotional, mental, and
cognitive well-being.1
That means an improved quality of life. No more isolating yourself
and losing touch in your relationships. While many understand
the impact that hearing loss has on one’s social and emotional
life, it may come as a surprise to know that research study after
study has linked untreated hearing loss with a decline in cognitive
abilities.2
“That is what all poets do: they talk to themselves out loud; and
the world overhears them. But it’s horribly lonely not to hear
someone else talk sometimes.” George Bernard Shaw
I would hear fine if people wouldn’t mumble!Do you feel that
everyone around you mumbles when they talk? There is a very
good explanation for this, and it has to do with your hearing loss.
Speech consists of vowels and consonants. The vowel sounds are
loud and deep in tone, while the consonants are very soft, high
pitched sounds.
Most people hear the vowels better than consonants, both
because they’re louder sounds, and because hearing loss is often
greater in the higher pitches where the consonants are located.
Swift Audiology And Hearing Aid Service
(724) 825-4480

3. If you’re only hearing the vowels, words like, “pick, bit, bid, pit,
and pig” will all sound similar.
Your brain uses extra energy to try to figure out what was said
based on the context of the conversation, and the speaker’s lip
movement. You might find that you’re more worn out at the end
of the day than you would be if you had hearing in the normal
range.
Only old people wear hearing aids.
This is not true! People of all ages wear hearing aids, from infants
to older adults. Those between the ages of 55-64 make up the
largest population of people with hearing loss,1 and, according to
the NIDCD,3 almost 50% of people with hearing loss are
adolescents or younger adults.
Keep this in mind… when you misunderstand someone, or fail to
laugh at a joke you didn’t hear, or don’t answer someone when
they ask you a question, you are putting your hearing loss on
display.
“An untreated hearing loss is more noticeable than hearing aids.”
Dr. Sergei Kochkin
Do I need hearing aids in both ears?
If you have hearing loss in both ears, you need to treat them
both with hearing aids. Studies have shown that, when two
hearing aids are worn compared to just one, the ability to tell
where sounds are coming from and to recognize speech is
significantly improved.
In addition, people reported better sound quality, and better
hearing in background noise while wearing two hearing aids
Swift Audiology And Hearing Aid Service
(724) 825-4480

4. versus only one.4 A potentially serious consequence of leaving
one ear untreated, is that the ability to recognize speech may
diminish in that ear.
The brain may even permanently lose the ability to recognize
speech if it is left deprived of sound for too long. The same holds
true when neither ear is treated with amplification.2
A man has two ears and one mouth that he hear much and speak
little. (German proverb).
How do I get hearing aids?
Find a local provide with a good reputation. Purchasing the latest
technology is only part of the solution. What comes next is even
more important.
That includes having an expert who can properly program the
hearing aids, adjust them as needed, and troubleshoot based on
the feedback that you provide. It is also the provider’s job to
counsel you regarding realistic expectations and the normal
acclimation period that occurs with new hearing aids.
Swift Audiology is proud to have an A+ rating with the better
business bureau!
Written by Dr. Leslie Myers, AuD., Doctor of Audiology
1Kochkin, S. Better Hearing Institute, www.betterhearing.org
2Arlinger, S. (2003). Negative consequences of uncorrected
hearing loss- a review. International Journal of Audiology,
42(Suppl 2:2S17-20). 3 National Institute on Deafness and Other
Communication Disorders. 4 Kojbler, S. Rosenhall, U. & Hansson,
H. (2001). Bilateral hearing aids- effects and consequences from
a user perspective. Scandinavian Audiology, 30(4), 223-235.
Swift Audiology And Hearing Aid Service
(724) 825-4480

5. For more information call us at (724) 825-4480 or visit
http://hearing-aids-washington-pa.com/
Swift Audiology And Hearing Aid Service
(724) 825-4480