Do I need a hearing aid if I only have a mild hearing loss?

Generally speaking, there are 4 degrees of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe and profound. After you have a hearing test, you will be told which level of hearing loss you are experiencing (if any). Your hearing care professional will talk you through your hearing aid options based on your hearing test results and therefore your degree of hearing loss.

Mild Hearing Loss

People suffering from a mild hearing loss can usually still hear most things in quiet settings. However, sounds such as speech can become muffled when there are other background sounds present too. This is especially true in noisy settings, such as restaurants, or when there is a lot of traffic noise. People with a mild hearing loss may think that people are mumbling when they are having a conversation when actually they are not. They may also feel as though their ears are blocked with wax when actually they aren’t.

Unfortunately, mild hearing loss is often ignored until it gets worse. People with this type of hearing loss definitely could benefit from wearing a hearing aid. Untreated hearing loss will worsen over time and treating it as soon as possible is key. Untreated hearing loss can also lead to other conditions such as depression and is even linked to the onset of dementia. People who have their hearing loss treated with hearing aids often comment on how their quality of life improves. They are able to hear much more clearly in social situations making life more accessible again.

Tinnitus Sufferers

Some people suffer with tinnitus alongside their hearing loss. Tinnitus is a ringing or buzzing noise that can only be heard by the sufferer. If the tinnitus is indeed caused by the hearing loss then wearing hearing aids will help to improve the tinnitus symptoms. There are tinnitus masking programs that can be added to the hearing aids which can also help in treating any tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus is very bothersome and can be exceptionally debilitating for people who suffer with it so it’s important to try and alleviate the symptoms.

The earlier a hearing loss is treated, the better! If you’re ready to book in for a hearing test, please do this via our website. If you would like some further advice before deciding to book in, please get in touch.