Why do many people become hard of hearing as they age?
It is normal to lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds as we age; however, several factors, such as diet, noise, stress, past injuries, family history and other medical conditions could affect hearing.

It does not bother me that I am hard of hearing. Why should I see an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist?
Hearing loss affects people differently. If it does not disrupt your usual activities, it may not be severe and may seem less important for you to address. It is likely, however, that you are unaware of how much you are missing. You may also be affecting those around you by keeping the television or radio at a high volume or requiring people to repeat themselves several times before you understand what is being said to you.

What should I do if I notice I'm no longer hearing very well?
If you experience trouble hearing, you should visit your health care provider for an assessment or recommend that an audiologist/hearing instrument specialist conduct hearing tests to determine the type of hearing loss you have and suggest the right assistive device for you.

I was told that excess earwax is blocking my ears. What can I do about that?
Build-up of earwax often worsens hearing. You can use over-the-counter eardrops (such as Cerumenex, Murine EarDrops, and Debrox) to soften the wax. You should follow the instructions that come with the drops.

What if I need a hearing aid?
Hearing aids are not for everyone-you must want to wear the hearing aid and should find one in a style that you like, or else you may never wear it. The wearer must be able to put the hearing aid into his or her ear. For those with with bad arthritis or memory problems, this can be difficult.

What kinds of hearing aids are available?
Hearing aids can be expensive, depending on the type you choose. Some hearing aids adjust volume automatically. Others help reduce background noise so you can focus on conversations with others and not be distracted by other sounds. More expensive hearing aids can be set for either a quiet or noisy environment.

What if I don't want to wear a hearing aid? Do I have other choices?
For people who have problems with coordination or memory, assistive listening devices (ALDs) may be a better choice. They are bigger than a hearing aid (usually pocket size) and easy to handle. People using an ALD wear a headset that is attached to a microphone that others speak into. The wearer is able to adjust volume as necessary. There are other ALDs that can be helpful for use with televisions (such as closed caption decoding devices) and over the telephone. There are also alerting devices such as lights that flash, vibrating alarms, and hearing ear dogs.
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