by Arthur Boothroyd

It’s easy enough to restore 20/20 eyesight with glasses or contacts. But even state-of-the-art digital hearing aids can’t perfectly restore hearing for people whose inner ears have been damaged by noise exposure, medications or just the wear and tear of aging. Part of the problem is that this kind of sensorineural hearing loss — the result of permanent damage to the sensory cells of the inner ear — does more than just make sounds quieter. It can jumble the sounds, too, in ways that garble speech. Continue reading →

People with hearing loss have to deal with adapting to life with hearing aids, and it can be even more difficult when negative stereotypes and stigmas get in the way. People wait an average of seven years before getting hearing aids after noticing their hearing loss. Being hard of hearing poses many challenges for those who experience it, and it can greatly affect their everyday lives. Perceptions of hearing loss is also associated with old age, but people of all ages, even children, have to deal with the loss of hearing.

Where did the stigma come from?

Hearing loss has been seen as an ailment, and some even thought it was a disability because children who had hearing loss had trouble learning. The Journal of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses, states that people viewed the deaf and hard of hearing “with a mixture of fear, scorn, distaste, misunderstanding and pity.” Continue reading →