Hearing Loss: The Different Levels
About 48 million people in America have some type of hearing loss – making it the third most common health problem in the country.
At Resonance Audiology, we understand how hearing loss can affect the quality of life and relationships, and we believe that having a good understanding of different hearing losses can empower those affected to make informed decisions about which hearing aid or therapy they should choose.
Previously we talked about the different types of hearing loss, and today we will go over the four different levels or degrees of hearing loss:
1. Mild hearing loss
One-on-one conversations are usually not a problem, but it becomes hard to catch every word and follow conversations when there’s background noise and as the noise level increases.
Often, mild hearing loss is noticed sooner by friends and family than by the person with the difficulty.
2. Moderate hearing loss
Those suffering from moderate hearing loss often need to ask people to repeat themselves during in person and telephone conversations.
At this point they realize they have a hearing problem – although not all will admit it out loud. Some people with this type of hearing loss may have difficulty following speech without hearing aids.
3. Severe hearing loss
People with a severe hearing loss are typically unable to hear speech even in quiet surroundings, and to communicate with them, if they do not wear a hearing aid, becomes an extremely difficult and exhausting experience.
For many, even with hearing aids there is usually a need to lip-read or use sign language.
4. Profound hearing loss
People suffering from profound hearing loss cannot hear when others are speaking, unless they are extremely loud, and cannot understand what they are saying without a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
Still, even hearing aids will not help in some cases of profound hearing loss.
The level of hearing loss is just one factor our audiologists consider when deciding the best approach to help you to hear as well as you possibly can and improve your quality of life.
A comprehensive evaluation will help you or your loved one determine the types and severity of hearing loss, and the data will provide a clinical foundation for recommendations on hearing aids and other assistive listening devices suitable for treating the types of hearing impairments discussed above.
Dr Horan is here to help you with a hearing test and selecting and dispensing the hearing device in Lancaster, PA, that is best fitted to your personal, professional, cosmetic and financial needs.
Contact Resonance Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, LLC today to learn more about hearing loss, hearing aids, assistive listening devices and the superior audiology services and solutions.