The holidays are a time to mix and mingle with family and loved ones over food, games and re-telling stories from the past. However, those experiencing hearing loss might struggle to participate in these conversations due to the high noise level. Dr. Angela Peng, an otolaryngologist at Baylor College of Medicine, shares the signs of hearing loss to be aware of and how to respectfully discuss the next steps for better hearing.
"At holiday gatherings, there are a lot of people talking around you and background noise, whether that is with music or conversations, and people with hearing loss have a hard time listening when there is a lot of noise," said Peng, assistant professor in the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor.
To people with hearing loss, conversations might sound muffled or incomplete. You might notice people with hearing loss at holiday gatherings:
- Tend to nod their head during conversations instead of participating.
- Withdraw or isolate themselves from conversations and sit elsewhere.
- Choose not to attend a gathering because they get frustrated trying to hear people over the high noise level.
As we age, our hearing declines, and genetics can play a role. Talking to people with hearing loss requires patience. Peng says you can start by having a one-on-one conversation, away from a large or noisy group at a holiday gathering and facing them straight on so that, if needed, they can read your lips. She recommends talking slowly and articulating your words so they can understand you better. Raising your voice to speak louder won't work for everyone.
"If a person's hearing loss is related to clarity or the understanding of words, no matter how loud you talk, the message to them will still sound garbled," Peng said.
When talking to someone about their hearing loss, you can ask if they have seen an audiologist or an ear, nose and throat physician. An audiologist will perform a hearing test to analyze a person's ability to hear sounds and the clarity of words. If necessary, an audiologist will then refer a patient to an ENT physician to see if there are any concerning pathologies.
"Hearing aids are appropriate for the first signs of hearing loss, but if the hearing worsens, we might consider a cochlear implant, which requires surgery. With this, a more thorough discussion is needed," Peng said.
