Living with hearing loss

Many things in your surroundings can affect how well you hear and understand what others are saying. These include:

Changes in your house or office can help you hear better:

To better follow a conversation:

Many different devices to help people with hearing loss are available. If you are using hearing aids, regular visits with your audiologist are important.

People around you can also learn methods to help them talk to a person with hearing loss.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) website. Assistive devices for people with hearing, voice, speech, or language disorders. www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/assistive-devices-people-hearing-voice-speech-or-language-disorders. Updated November 12, 2019. Accessed June 13, 2023.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-older-adults. Updated March 17, 2023. Accessed June 13, 2023.

Nieman CL, Lin FR, Agrawal Y. Geriatric otology: population health and clinical implications. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 133.

Oliver M. Communication devices and electronic aids to activities of daily living. In: Webster JB, Murphy DP, eds. Atlas of Orthoses and Assistive Devices. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 40.



Review Date: 6/4/2023
Reviewed By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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