What Does It Feel Like to Have Moderate Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss comes with different levels of impairment. Some people might experience mild hearing loss, while others experience severe or complete hearing loss. Both ends of the spectrum require different hearing aids. A common hearing loss level is moderate, which can make life difficult without hearing aids. To understand more about moderate hearing loss and what it feels like, here’s more.

What Is Moderate Hearing Loss?

Moderate hearing loss results in the inability to hear soft to moderate noises, such as normal conversation or a ringing phone. In some cases, moderate hearing loss will result in a person not being able to hold a regular conversation due to lack of understanding. 

As there are various hearing loss abilities for those who experience hearing loss, it is important to understand the standard decibel range. For those who experience moderate hearing loss, it typically means that sound between 40 and 70 decibels cannot be heard. Or those sounds are muffled or hard to acknowledge. 

In most cases, hearing aids will help those who experience moderate hearing loss. It will make a person’s quality of life better and allow them to hear all sounds. 

What Does It Feel Like?

Those that experience moderate hearing loss will find it difficult hearing everyday noises. It may be that you find it hard hearing up close noise, such as conversation. Or you might find it difficult hearing louder but further away noises, such as music or your phone. 

Sounds can often become muffled as opposed to dismissed. For instance, those with moderate hearing loss may be able to hear the up-close sounds. But they may be muffled and hard to understand. 

Other symptoms of moderate hearing loss include trouble pronouncing words due to not being able to hear oneself. This can lead to difficulty having a conversation. People can sometimes experience extreme tiredness too, due to increased concentration to understand people or external noises. 

Everyday life for those with moderate hearing loss can be improved with hearing aids. 

The Best Hearing Aids for Moderate Hearing Loss

Speaking of hearing devices, these are typically the best hearing aids for those with moderate hearing loss:

• In the ear (ITE): In-the-ear hearing aids are ideal for a variety of hearing losses. They can be used for anyone experiencing mild-to-severe hearing loss. These sit within the ear concha and are less visible than those that sit outside of the ear. They are a small device that enables users to hear surrounding noises. The hearing aid will detect the level of sound that the person cannot hear, such as soft noises and amplify them.
• In the canal (ITC): In-the-canal hearing aids are less visible than ITE’s, as they sit deeper with the ear. They are much smaller so that they can fit in the canal of the ear. These are best for increased sound amplification as they can pick up sounds and directly amplify them down the ear canal. 

Tips For Living with Moderate Hearing Loss

Although moderate hearing loss is not a disability, it can significantly impact a person's quality of life. It can make conversations difficult or reduce the experience of sounds such as live music events and television. 

Moderate hearing loss can occur at any age. Some people are born with it, while some develop it throughout their life due to childhood illness or poor ear care. Thus, it is important to recognize symptoms early and get the right diagnosis and treatment. If a child ever reports loss of hearing or inability to concentrate, this is a clear sign to get them tested. 

Other tips for dealing with moderate hearing loss daily is to wear hearing aids as often as possible. These will ensure you can live life to a normal standard and hear all sounds. 

Your diet can impact your hearing too. Low temperature foods can affect your ear canal, which makes moderate hearing loss worse. It can cause your ear canal to restrict, making hearing aids uncomfortable and hearing more difficult. 

Regular cleaning of your hearing aids will ensure they are clear of dirt, which could hinder their performance. Clean them with wipes and bristle brushes to remove dirt and bacteria. You will want to ensure to keep them free of grime and bacteria for your overall ear health. 

Moderate hearing loss can impact people differently. Thus, you may have different symptoms and require different treatment. However, you should always see an audiologist if you have concerns or questions.

For anyone who requires more information, or to learn more about Brentwood Hearing Center, call us today at (615) 866-0431.