Hearing Loss

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• People who have hearing loss cannot hear well or do not hear at all. You may have hearing loss in one or both ears. Hearing loss can happen suddenly or slowly over time. Because hearing is often lost slowly, many people do not notice their hearing loss. They may learn of their hearing loss when family or friends notice or when a caregiver examines them. Loud noise and age cause most hearing loss in adults. Hearing loss can happen at any age, but it is most common in people 60 years or older.
  
  
• Tests will be done to help caregivers learn about your hearing loss. A hearing aid or other listening devices may be needed to treat your hearing loss. Antibiotic (an-ti-bi-OT-ik) medicine may be needed if an infection (in-FEK-shun) is causing the hearing loss. Surgery may be needed to correct your hearing loss. You may work with a speech or hearing therapist (THER-ah-pist) to help you cope with hearing loss.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Always take your medicine as directed by your caregiver. If you feel it is not helping, call your caregiver. Do not quit taking it unless your caregiver tells you to. If you are taking medicine that makes you drowsy, do not drive or use heavy equipment.
  
  
• Keep track of what medicines you are taking and when and why you take them. Bring a list of your medicines or the pill bottles when you see your caregivers. Ask your caregiver for information about your medicines.
  
  
• Antibiotics: This medicine is given to fight or prevent an infection caused by bacteria. Always take your antibiotics exactly as ordered by your caregiver. Keep taking this medicine until it is completely gone, even if you feel better. Stopping antibiotics without your caregiver's OK may make the medicine unable to kill all of the germs. Never "save" antibiotics or take leftover antibiotics that were given to you for another illness.

What can I do to help manage my hearing loss?

• If you have hearing aids, wear them. Work with your caregiver to decide which hearing aids are best for you.
  
  
• Tell people that you have hearing loss. Do not stay away from your friends and family members because of your hearing loss. Staying away from others will only make it harder to deal with your hearing problem.
  
  
• Get assistive listening devices (ALDs) to help you hear better. Whether you wear hearing aids or not, ALDs can help you hear the TV, phone, and doorbell better. You can use ALDs in places such as school, movie theaters, and museums.
  
  
• Ask about cochlear implants. If you have sensorineural (sen-sah-ree-NOOR-al) hearing loss and hearing aids do not help, talk to your caregiver. Ask if cochlear (KOK-lee-ar) implants can help you hear better. These must be put in your inner ear during surgery.
  
  
• Learn ways to help yourself better understand others. Learning how to use sign language or lip read may help you talk to others. Talk to your caregivers if you are interested in more information about sign language or lip reading.
  
  
• Do not talk to people in your car while you are driving. Use your eyes to constantly look for problems on the road or approaching emergency vehicles.
  
  
• Try to talk to others in a quiet place. Background noise, such as many voices at a party or in a concert, makes hearing difficult (hard).
  
  
• Work closely with your caregivers. If you have hearing loss that is caused by a health problem or medicine, go to a caregiver to be treated.

How can friends and family members help?

• Go into the same room to talk to the person with the hearing loss.
  
  
• Speak very clearly, and make sure you are looking at the person and the person is looking at you.
  
  
• Speak louder than normal, but do not shout.
  
  
• Speak slowly.
  
  
• Make sure that you or someone else is with the hearing-impaired person if important business matters are being discussed.

How can I help protect my hearing?

• Protect your ears from loud noises. If you are doing an activity that will be very loud, use ear plugs or ear protectors. These activities include using a lawnmower and power tools, or going to a loud concert. They include riding motorcycles or snowmobiles, or shooting guns, such as rifles at a shooting range.
  
  
• Do not put cotton balls in your ears. They do not protect your ears from loud noise. Use foam or earplugs that are made to decrease loud noise to your ears. Your earplugs should fit so that your ear canal is completely blocked. If you are around very loud noises, be doubly careful. Use well-fitting earplugs, and also wear earmuffs that completely cover your outer ears.
  
  
• Adjust your music or television volume (sound level) so that it is comfortable to hear, but not too loud. Do not listen to very loud music through headphones or earphones.
  
  
• If you must be around short, loud noises, block your ears with clean fingertips during the noise.

Where can I go for support? You may feel scared, confused, and anxious because of your hearing loss. You may blame yourself and think you have done something wrong. These feelings are normal. Talk about them with your caregiver or with someone close to you. Ask your caregiver about support groups for people with hearing loss. Such a group can give you support and information. Call or write the following organizations for more information.

• American Hearing Research Foundation
  8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 814
  Chicago, IL 60603-4539
  Phone: 1-312-726-9670
  Web Address: http://www.american-hearing.org
  

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  10801 Rockville Pike
  Rockville, MD 20852
  Phone: 1-800-638-8255
  Web Address: http://www.asha.org
  

• Better Hearing Institute
  515 King Street, Suite 420
  Alexandria, VA 22314
  Phone: 1-703-684-3391
  Web Address: www.betterhearing.org
  

• Hear-It
  Web Address: http://www.hear-it.org
  

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have a fever (increased body temperature).
  
  
• You have ear pain that is getting worse.
  
  
• You have fluid, pus or blood leaking from your ear.
  
  
• You have ringing in your ears, or dizziness that will not go away.
  
  
• You have a rash, itching, or swelling after taking your medicine.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your hearing loss or your treatment.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

You have sudden hearing loss.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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