Struggling to hear over background noise?

Many people initially become aware of their hearing impairment in loud settings, such as: bars, dining places, coffee shops, and lecture rooms. This is typically due to their expansive, open nature, the presence of numerous sound sources, and the hard, flat surfaces that reflect sound waves without much absorption. If you’re struggling to hear in the presence of background noise, it could be a sign that your hearing is deteriorating.

Why am I more affected by my hearing loss in loud settings?

When we think about why some individuals struggle to hear in noisy environments, it comes down to two primary factors: loss of hearing and difficulties with auditory processing.

Hearing impairment occurs when the auditory system fails to function properly. There are numerous causes for this, but fundamentally, it indicates that the sound reaching the ear does not get transmitted to the brain in its entirety, with high clarity and detail.

When sound reach the brain, auditory processing occurs. This is the brain’s skill in distinguishing between spoken words and background noise. It’s an incredibly intricate mechanism. The brain needs to extract the intended speech signal from the surrounding background noise. This task must be completed swiftly, considering the speed of speech, and is influenced by numerous variations in sound volume, tone, and direction. The brain must quickly assess and manage these changes.

The ability to process sounds usually decreases as people get older, but it can also be impacted at any stage because of harm to the auditory nerve caused by too much loud noise, and specific chemicals and drugs that are harmful to the ears.

It is possible for someone to suffer from both hearing loss and have poor auditory processing. When this is the case, hearing speech in noise environments can be really difficult.

How to hear better in background noise

If the issue is solely hearing loss and the ability to process sounds is intact, using hearing aids can offer considerable advantages. This is due to the hearing aids boosting the softer sounds of speech, allowing the brain to separate the intended speech from surrounding noise. When the hearing aids are precisely calibrated to fit your needs, it can be the distinction between participating in the discussion and looking at the wall of the restaurant.

Pinder Hearing Care is committed to providing the highest quality sound experience through leading-edge hearing aid technology and creative hearing solutions tailored to your needs.