After our eyes, the most important sensory organ is our ears. This means hearing loss can have significant consequences. In most cases, hearing loss is age-related. However, it can also be triggered by loud noises, infections, or may be hereditary.
Hearing loss may occur very suddenly, although in most cases it's gradual - meaning you only become aware of it as it progresses.
Fortunately, in most cases, hearing loss can be improved using a hearing aid.
First signs
Hearing loss rarely occurs all of a sudden. It usually develops gradually, over a long period of time – and is therefore imperceptible at first. This is because those affected gradually get used to the onset of hearing loss.
Because the brain can compensate for the hearing deficiencies for a long time, there are few disadvantages in everyday life during the first phase.But from a certain point, hearing loss can no longer be readily compensated for. Often, this is noticed by family and friends of the affected person long before they themselves realize they cannot hear normally.
Even those affected by hearing loss who know that they can no longer hear perfectly often still do nothing for a long time. Using the argument "It’s still OK!", they put off a hearing test with an audiologist. This is because being aware of your own hearing loss is one thing, but acknowledging it is not so easy.
