By: Alison Vega, Ascent Audiology and Hearing
The sun is shining and the birds are chirping; can you hear the birds chirping? Bird songs are typically made up of high frequencies and can be one of the first sounds that you stop hearing when hearing loss sets in.
Our sense of hearing is very subjective; our “normal” is only what we know. When we gradually lose hearing abilities, it is as if sound just slowly fades away and we may not even be aware of what is happening. At the beginning, asking for repetition in conversation increases. Next, hearing in the presence of noise gets to be more difficult. Finally, it seems that no one speaks clearly anymore; “everyone mumbles!” These are all telltale signs that hearing loss is taking its toll.
It is true, we are able to live with untreated hearing loss and still survive. It is easy to procrastinate addressing our hearing issues; it typically takes a person 7-10 years to do something about their hearing loss. However, untreated hearing loss creates a one-dimensional world where sound is flat, muffled, and jumbled together. Resolving your hearing issues allows you to hear in stereo again; sound has dimension and the clarity of sound gives separation to speech and noise.
So, as you are enjoying a family barbeque or a gathering of friends this summer, can you hear the birds chirping? Can you hear the laughter of the children running in the yard? Are you tempted to go home early because it is too difficult to have a conversation? Allow yourself to hear all of these sounds for yourself. An annual hearing examination may help you understand where all those birds went!
