It’s time to put the most pervasive myths about hearing loss on mute.
Though it’s estimated that one in seven Americans of all ages currently experiences some degree of hearing loss, misinformation about its causes and its consequences abounds, keeping people from seeking the right kind of treatment at the right time.
Dr. Rachel Artsma, senior audiologist at hear.com, says busting those myths can help patients drown out the noise and understand the true realities of the condition.
“Hearing health is an essential part of overall health, and recognizing changes early empowers people to stay connected, engaged and confident in their daily lives,” she tells The Post.
Globally, hearing health is becoming more precarious by the day: The Hearing Loss Association of America warns that hearing loss is “a growing public health crisis.”
Echoing that, the World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, one in 10 people worldwide will have “disabling hearing loss,” or hearing loss greater than 35 decibels in their better-hearing ear.
Despite its broad sweep, Artsma says not enough people grasp the root causes of hearing loss — and therefore don’t take action to protect themselves from it.
Myth #1: We hear with our ears.
The first myth Artsma wants to quash is that we actually don’t hear with our ears. We hear with our brains.
“When the brain is not receiving sound clearly, it has to work harder to fill in the gaps,” she explains. “Over time, this increased listening effort can lead to fatigue, frustration and difficulty concentrating, even in everyday conversations.”
Oftentimes people mistake these behaviors for simply feeling tired or distracted, when the silent culprit is actually hearing loss.
Myth #2: Only old people have trouble hearing.
The other myth she hopes to undo is that hearing loss is an old person’s problem. “In reality, people of all ages experience hearing changes, often due to noise exposure, lifestyle factors or genetics,” she explains.
But the gradual nature of hearing loss means that it can go undetected for years at a time. It may also mean that some people are less likely to report changes in their hearing to their medical providers because they don’t notice a drastic shift, or they wait until their hearing has dramatically deteriorated.
This is an issue primarily because hearing loss does damage beyond disrupting communication.
“It can affect relationships, confidence and social engagement, as people may begin avoiding conversations or social settings without realizing why,” Artsma says.
Going deaf? Put the TV remote down
While cranking up the volume on a TV or a set of headphones doesn’t necessarily make hearing loss worse, it can contribute to other problems with hearing health over time, Artsma says.
“When people increase volume to compensate for hearing changes, it often masks the underlying issue rather than addressing it,” she notes. “Louder sound may make speech seem more audible, but it does not restore clarity, especially if high‑frequency sounds are already being missed.”
And there are some cases in which high-volume listening, especially through headphones or ear buds, makes noise‑induced hearing damage worse. Typically, longer exposures and exposures that are meant to cover up background noise are the worst for your hearing.
Jamming your finger on the volume-up button is a “temporary workaround, not a solution” for hearing loss, Artsma says. For that, you’ll have to connect with a specialist who can run a series of tests and provide a handful of different treatment options, which could include hearing aids or a cochlear implant, depending on severity.
If you’re having questions about your hearing, don’t delay in talking to a provider, Artsma says. “Addressing hearing loss early, rather than continually turning things up, helps protect long‑term hearing health and improves clarity, comfort and overall communication.”
