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The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II: Hearing Problems

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Hearing Problems

When someone tells you there's a fast bat flying out of the barn and you think he's saying a fat cat is flying over the corn, you might as well face it: Your hearing is going. And it didn't just walk out the door today.

"The type of hearing loss experienced by most adults probably started when they were kids," says Robert E. Brummett, Ph.D., a pharmacologist at the Oregon Hearing Research Center in Portland. "Most people's hearing gets worse so slowly that they don't realize what's happening until they have severe hearing loss."

Most adults over age 60 do have some hearing loss. But any hearing problem can be greatly reduced by working with an audiologist or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor), according to Denise Wray, Ph.D., associate professor of speech/language pathology at the University of Akron. While hearing loss is usually irreversible, you owe it to yourself to take advantage of technology. "That means getting yourself outfitted with the best hearing aids and assistive listening devices possible," says Sam Trychin, Ph.D., director of a Coping with Hearing Loss Program at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. But whether or not you have a hearing aid, here are some hear-better strategies that will make everyone more audible.

When to See the Doctor

If you have dizziness, pain, nausea, sudden ringing in the ears or sudden hearing loss, you should see your doctor. This is especially important if the impairment is in one ear. It could be as simple as wax in the external ear, but it might be a more serious problem that requires immediate medical attention, according to Robert E. Brummett, Ph.D., a pharmacologist at the Oregon Hearing Research Center in Portland.

Assistive Listening Devices

If words sound garbled rather than too soft, you might be helped by an assistive listening device, according to Michael P. Sabo, director of audiology at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix. For example, an assistive listening device for TV is a hand-held or headset receiver that picks up sound transmitted directly from the television speaker to your ear.

Other devices are specially designed for amplifying telephone conversations, according to Cynthia Compton, director of the Assistive Devices Center in the Department of Audiology at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Also, look for assistive listening devices in public places, such as churches and theaters. They are sometimes provided to hard-of-hearing attendees as a public service.

Make some sound choices. "Whenever you walk into a room, make a quick appraisal of what might present problems," Dr. Trychin suggests. Reduce the background noise as much as possible by turning off the TV or radio when you have a conversation, adds Sharon A. Lesner, Ph.D., professor of audiology at the University of Akron. "And if the noise around you is out of your control, move to another room to talk," she suggests.

Dine away from din. "In a restaurant, position yourself away from the kitchen and away from the entrance," says Dr. Lesner.

Ideally, choose a booth with a high back, so you can hear the person sitting across from you. Or sit with your back against a wall, so there's a "sounding board" behind you.

Look to listen better You'll be able to understand more if you can see more. "Make sure light is on the face of the person you're trying to listen to. And if you wear glasses, make sure your vision is as good as possible," says Dr. Lesner. You don't have to be an expert lip-reader to pick up on visual signals that help people communicate. But you do hear better if you watch lip movement and expressions.

Speak up for yourself. "Be assertive about what you need speakers to do so that you can understand them," says Dr. Lesner.

"For example, you might politely tell a person to slow down. Ask her to rephrase--not repeat--what she said. Or tell her what you believe she, said and ask her if that is correct."

Block that clatter. Even if you already have hearing loss, you can further damage your hearing if you are in noisy situations. "Tie a pair of ear plugs or an earmuff-type heating protector to any noisy equipment you might use," suggests Dr. Brummett. These personal "mufflers" will remind you to protect your ears.

Double the noise stoppers. "If you're going to be in a very noisy situation using a power saw, for instance-wear both foam earplugs and earmuff-type protectors," Dr. Brummett suggests. The more protection, the better.

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