Differentiating Speech From Noise While Wearing Hearing Aids

For people treating their hearing loss symptoms with assistive technology like hearing aids, certain challenges like navigating daily activities in noisy environments can pose difficulties that limit their ability to engage in conversation. Review the following to help with noise management and overcome distorted communication that can make it difficult for hearing aid wearers to understand the people speaking to them.

Understanding Hearing Aid Volume Control

For first-time wearers, understanding the difference between hearing aid volume and the volume control often associated with other devices, like a TV remote, can be difficult to differentiate at first. Volume control for certain devices, like televisions, smartphones, and radios, raises all sound output from the device equally while hearing aid volume controls often alter soft and high-frequency sounds, which can be more difficult for people to process. The hearing devices can be programmed to amplify soft sounds more than loud sounds and to filter out background noise while emphasizing speech.

Noise Reduction Technology

Newer hearing aids can be outfitted with speech enhancement features that can help reduce feeling overwhelmed and confused when engaged in conversation. Digital hearing aids with speech enhancement controls can help the devices decipher when noise is picked up and amplify speech for a better listening experience.

Tips for Avoiding Noise Pollution

Those experiencing difficulty understanding others and feeling prone to social withdrawal due to difficulty with noise pollution can use the following tips to help feel more engaged in conversation and reduce noise interruption:

• Dine in restaurants earlier when they’re less full. Calling ahead to ask how busy their dining room is at the time can help you find a quiet place to enjoy your meal.
• Advocate for your needs. Whenever possible, whether you’re traveling or visiting a new location, call ahead to inquire staff about accommodations for those with hearing loss.

Consult the audiologists at Associated Hearing Professionals to get your hearing aid and hearing loss questions answered by qualified and compassionate professionals. We offer approachable and patient-focused care to help patients throughout the St. Louis area better understand their aural health through comprehensive tests, resources, and care instructions for their hearing aids. Call 314-725-2686 to schedule an appointment or learn more about our hearing services.