● Do you have difficulty hearing while talking to another person?
● Do you often ask others to repeat a sentence?
● Have you ever turned the TV or radio volume up to a level where it started to disturb other household members, and they asked you to turn it down?
● Have you experienced episodes of ear buzzing or whistling in your ears?
If you have ever experienced one or more of those symptoms, you may have hearing loss. Read further for more about hearing loss and how you can improve your hearing so you don’t miss out on life.
Hearing loss affects more than 20% of the French population aged 60+. It is the most common chronic health problem affecting the elderly, after hypertension and arthritis — and it’s an increasing problem as people live longer. After 60 years old, hearing typically deteriorates at about 1 dB per year. Men tend to experience more hearing loss compared to women and begin to lose their hearing earlier.
However, modern medicine offers many possibilities to treat the causes of hearing loss and support it with hearing aids. Therefore, you should not be afraid of this ailment and be assured that you can still live a full and comfortable life. In the next sections of this article, we will describe the steps you need to take to do this.
The easiest way to check your hearing is to do an online test in the privacy of your home. We recommend to use this online test: https://www.starkey.com/online-hearing test#!/HearingTestLandingPrimary
If you have completed an online hearing test and it shows a possible hearing loss (HL) or if the result is unclear, it is best to see a professional. A qualified healthcare specialist will perform tests for a thorough, accurate and confident diagnosis.
Here are our recommendations for testing:
● If you want to receive a diagnosis of your hearing for the first time, we recommend visiting “ENT” (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist. This specialist is also known as an otolaryngologist. They specialize in diagnosing and treating disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. An ENT will be responsible for exclusion or identifying the causes of the hearing loss.
● If you have already been diagnosed with hearing loss or you are using a hearing aid, you can directly visit an audiologist. This specialist focuses more on medical tests related to hearing loss and hearing aids. They specialize in audiometry exams, analyzing audiograms, hearing aid adjustments, and hearing and understanding speech tests.
They will also provide ongoing support, maintenance, and troubleshooting for hearing aid users.
The best option to book a visit to such a specialist is to contact your local health clinic and ask how to visit with one of those doctors. You can also ask for help and guidance from your GP (general practitioner).
The most important test that will confirm or rule out your hearing loss is an audiometry exam. This test measures the individual's hearing thresholds across frequencies and loudness levels. The results of the audiometry is known as an audiogram and determines the type, degree and configuration of hearing loss. Audiometry is also a crucial test for proper fitting and adjustment of the hearing aid.
Audiometry is a noninvasive, simple test that takes a few minutes and measures the levels of your hearing.
Types of hearing loss
● Conductive Hearing Loss is often treatable and can be temporary or permanent depending on the underlying cause. It occurs when there is a problem in the outer or middle ear that prevents sound from being conducted to the inner ear. Earwax buildup, ear infections, fluid in the middle ear, or abnormalities in the ear structure may cause it.
● Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type and is caused by damage or dysfunction in the inner ear or the auditory nerve pathways. It can be present at birth or acquired due to aging, noise exposure, certain medications, genetic factors, or medical conditions. Sensorineural hearing loss is typically permanent, and the degree of hearing loss can range from mild to profound.
● Mixed hearing loss refers to a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. It occurs when there is damage or dysfunction in both the outer/middle ear and the inner ear or auditory nerve pathways.
● Central hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the central auditory processing centers in the brain. It can affect the ability to interpret or understand sounds, even if the peripheral hearing (outer, middle, and inner ear) is intact. Causes of central hearing loss may include conditions such as brain injuries, tumors, or neurological disorders. People with this disease, in most cases, cannot benefit from using a hearing aid.
Important note!
People who have sensorineural hearing loss or mixed hearing loss will get the most benefits from using hearing aids.
Levels of hearing loss
After diagnosing the cause of hearing loss, the next step is to diagnose its level. Understanding the level of your hearing loss is crucial to explore available hearing aids for you.
● Healthy hearing (hearing loss smaller than 25 dB):
You do not have any problem with hearing, and you do not need any hearing aid.
● Mild hearing loss (26-40 dB):
Quiet and soft conversations or situations with just a hint of noise may be tiring.
● Moderate hearing loss (41-60 dB):
It helps if you raise the volume of the radio and television, and ordinary conversations with some background noise may be challenging to comprehend.
● Severe hearing loss (61-80 dB):
You struggle with conversations, even in a quiet environment. You ask others to speak louder or frequently repeat their statements.
● Profound hearing loss (over 80 dB):
You cannot hear speech or sounds of devices such as doorbells, ringing phones, or running washing machines.
Levels of hearing loss.
Once you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, the next step is to identify a hearing aid that can help ensure you never miss life’s most important moments. Properly fitted hearing aids can have a profound impact on your life. They can improve your life in these areas:
● Improved hearing: You can again enjoy easily understanding conversations, listening to music, or watching TV without asking about repetition or turning up the volume to the level when it may annoy others around you.
● Being closer to other people: Hearing loss can lead to social isolation, as you may find it challenging to follow conversations or to participate in group activities. Hearing aids can help you to reconnect with others and to feel more involved in your community.
● Improved safety: Hearing aids can help you to hear warning sounds or cars on the streets. This awareness can help to keep you safe and to reduce your risk of accidents.
● Well-being: Using hearing aids can help you feel calmer and reduce your stress and anxiety, which will lead to feeling happier overall.
A properly fitted hearing aid is a device that will allow you to enjoy life with your family and friends with much easier communication.
When you have properly diagnosed hearing loss, you will need to decide which hearing aid to
choose. The best option to do that is to visit with an audiologist who will help you tailor hearing aid options for your needs.
Many options are based on your needs, including lifestyle, level of hearing loss, and preferred look of your hearing aid.
When you need a hearing aid, one of the most common questions you will likely ask is, ‘’How much does it cost?’’
In France, for patients aged over 20 years, hearing aids are reimbursed up to a maximum of €400 per hearing aid. To lower your healthcare costs, you might also consider getting mutual health insurance. It will help you to cover the part that Social Security does not pay for.
All information about refunds from Social Security you will find here: Social Security page
How to choose the best hearing aid for your needs
Choosing a hearing aid for your needs can be manageable. These five steps simplify the process:
1. Complete a professional hearing test with an ENT or audiologist to measure your level of hearing loss.
2. Read as much as possible about hearing aids to ensure your choices. We recommend those articles: Link to the second article.
3. Visit your audiologist to choose a hearing aid for you.
4. Complete the forms to get refunds from Social Security. Learn more here: Social Security page
5. Enjoy your life with better hearing supported by your new hearing aid.
With the proper research and hearing aid, you can lead a full and happy life where you never miss out on life’s most important moments and conversations.
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