“Everyone mumbles.” or “if everyone spoke more clearly, I wouldn’t have a problem.” Have you thought or said either of those sentences before? If you have worked around industrial noise or find yourself over the age of 55, there is a good chance you have. But why? Surely it couldn’t be a reduction in hearing. Or could it? One of the most common misconceptions about hearing is that if it changes, you’ll know it. The truth is, in most cases, you probably won’t unless you get it checked. A reduction in hearing can be sneaky. It usually progresses slowly and usually involves higher pitches first. Both of these factors mean other people will probably notice you’re having difficulty before you do. Many people think that a reduction in hearing is like turning the volume down on the TV. It isn’t. When we lose our hearing from noise or age, for example, the part of our ear responsible for hearing higher pitches is what is damaged first. This leaves us with more of a problem related to clarity, than loudness. In other words, you may find yourself saying, “I heard you, I just didn’t understand you.” In speech, vowel sounds (oo, ee, ah) are low pitched and are what gives us the power or volume. Consonant sounds (p, t, k, s, sh) are high pitched. They are the ones affected first in most hearing losses. Unfortunately, they are also the sounds we need to understand one word from the next. That phenomenon is also why you may be able to hear the traffic on the highway outside, but yet can’t hear the TV or your spouse every time. So what are you supposed to do if you or someone in your life suspects you have a reduction in hearing? Well the good news is a hearing test is quick and painless. Depending who you see it may even be free of charge. What you will want to make sure of is that the test is comprehensive and thorough. There should be at least 5 or 6 procedures performed in that visit to even begin to come up with some answers. The “beep test” alone is not good enough. If the test results show some degree of hearing reduction, it is important to be educated completely about what your options are. If the results show that your hearing can be improved medically or surgically (about 15-20% of hearing losses), then you will be referred to your family doctor or an ENT (ear, nose, throat surgeon). If your hearing loss is permanent (age, noise, etc.) then you may be a candidate for hearing aids. A competent clinician should prescribe and dispense hearing aids with honesty and integrity. You should not feel as though you are being sold something, but rather that you are being cared for as you would be with your dentist, optometrist, etc. If you choose to adopt hearing aids into your life, you should know that you will undergo a trial period for the first 30-60 days. During that time, if you feel that your needs aren’t being met, you should have the option to return them, hopefully without charge. The hearing aid process should be a positive one in which you are able to work with your clinician to improve your conversations, relationships and overall quality of life.