Could You Have a Hearing Problem? Regarding Women, Fall 2004

Regarding Women

Could You Have a Hearing Problem?

Lively dinner conversation. Enjoying a TV program. Talking on the phone. These activities can be a real challenge if you’ve lost part of your hearing.

Even if the loss is minor, it’s a serious problem that can worsen if untreated. Diminished hearing may have emotional consequences, too, leaving you withdrawn and depressed.

The commonest cause of hearing loss is damage to nerve cells in the ear. Aging is frequently to blame for this damage. Other causes include: exposure to harmfully loud noise; a family history of hearing loss; injury to the inner ear; German measles, mumps, or other infections; certain medications; heart problems, high blood pressure, and stroke.

You might have a hearing problem if:

conversations are hard to follow
it is difficult to hear over the telephone
family members complain that you’ve turned the TV up too loud
background noise interferes with your hearing
you ask people to repeat themselves often.

For more information on hearing difficulties or to schedule a comprehensive hearing test with a licensed audiologist, call the Department of Speech and Hearing at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at (732) 937-8655.

The editorial content for this article was taken from the print version of Regarding Women. Click here to sign up for future editions of Regarding Women.