a woman with a hearing aid

If you suspect that you may be experiencing early signs of hearing loss, or family and friends have mentioned it to you, please take a moment to consider the following:

  • Do you avoid most social events in group settings because you find it loud or confusing?
  • Do you find it difficult to understand when children or women are talking to you?
  • Do you find yourself leaning in, trying to read lips during a one-on-one conversation?
  • Have you noticed intermittent or frequent ringing (or other sounds) in your ears?
  • Do friends and family automatically raise their voices when talking to you?
  • Do you miss the ‘ding’ of text and email notifications from your phone?
  • Do you struggle to follow who’s saying what during phone or video calls?

Myth vs. Reality

It’s a common misconception that hearing loss is always directly associated with the passing of time and that you might be “too young” for a hearing aid. This just isn’t true. Hearing loss or tinnitus can affect people of any age and may be brought on by trauma, illness, certain medications or prolonged exposure to loud noises, whether at work or at play. There may also be a family history of hearing issues, among other health-related issues

Hearing loss is complex and deeply personal. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Hearing loss affects 2/3 of adults over 70
  • Adults with hearing loss are up to 5 times more likely to develop dementia
  • Hearing loss is linked to a 3-fold risk of falling
  • Accidental deafness injuries are up to 50% more likely for people with hearing loss
  • Adults with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report depression, anxiety and paranoia
Signs of hearing loss

I’d Like to Buy a Vowel

If you’ve lived long enough to experience presbycusis, (age-related hearing loss) it’s possible that you’ve lost your ability to hear high-frequency sounds. Believe it or not, that can come with the side effect of not being able to clearly differentiate between consonants. In speech, that translates to the consonant sounds S, F, Th, Sh, V, K, and P. These sounds are vital, of course, because they allow you to tell the difference between similar-sounding words—for example, “shop” and “pop” or “keep” and “peep.”

Old couple smiling

What’s the Frequency

Ask yourself: when was the last time you heard birds singing? What about crickets chirping? Do you hear your car’s turn signal or has it “gone silent”? These are all examples of higher-pitched sounds that register at frequencies of 2,000 Hz or higher – frequencies, which those with high-frequency hearing loss have trouble hearing.

Hearing evaluation

Taking Control

The longer you wait, the more complicated a potential hearing issue can become to diagnose and address. When in doubt, it’s best to find out! Seaside Hearing is ready to provide you with an assessment and present solutions tailored to your unique situation.

Book an Appointment

Click here to Schedule an Appointment at the former Halifax, Dartmouth and Hammonds Plains locations