When Hearing Loss Hurts More Than Just Ears
02/15/2023
And Then the Fight Started…
I was sitting at the front desk when Robert and Shelley came in for their appointment. They sat side-by-side in silence—but it wasn’t peaceful. You could feel the tension. I tried to be friendly and make small talk, but unintentionally made things worse. It reminded me of one of those classic punchline jokes:
“My wife said she wanted something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in 3 seconds… so I bought her a scale. And then the fight started.”
When I asked Robert a question, he didn’t respond. He could tell I was speaking but couldn’t understand the words. And then the fight started… Shelley explained the real reason for the tension: they had a meeting the day before with their insurance agent, and Robert couldn’t follow what was being said—even with the speaker sitting directly across from him. He struggled in the car with Shelley, at restaurants, and basically anywhere with background noise.
Profound Hearing Loss Changes Everything
Looking at Robert’s chart, it was clear his hearing loss was severe—what we call a profound loss. His ability to hear sounds was already very limited, and his ability to process speech was even more challenging. His word discrimination score was 68%, meaning he could only understand about two out of every three words spoken.
That’s like hearing:
“Let’s go blank lunch blank blank try blank new place.”
Can you imagine trying to make sense of an entire conversation that way—especially when it involves emotion, finances, or plans?
It’s exhausting, frustrating, and emotionally painful—for both the listener and the speaker.
When Technology Wasn’t Enough
My mind flashed back to Blair’s mom, MaryEllen, who also had a profound hearing loss. She wore the best hearing aids available at the time. But no matter how powerful they were, they didn’t match what today’s technology can do.
I remember how hard MaryEllen worked to keep up, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. It’s easy to feel hurt or ignored when someone doesn’t respond—but many people with hearing loss are doing their best with limited sound and guesswork.
The Good News: Modern Technology Has Changed the Game
Today’s advanced hearing aids offer:
- Increased power – Greater amplification with less distortion
- Speech enhancement – Personalized settings to make voices clearer
- Background noise reduction – Improved focus in noisy environments
- Smartphone app controls – Fine-tune your settings on the spot
- Reduced feedback – Less whistling and fewer issues with earmolds
Technology has come a long way. What once felt impossible—like having a conversation in a busy kitchen—is now achievable.
If Hearing Loss Is Hurting Your Relationship, You’re Not Alone
Living with hearing loss affects more than just sound. It touches every conversation, every moment, every relationship.
If you or someone you care about is struggling to hear—and it’s putting strain on your relationship—call us for a free hearing consultation or contact us online. You may be surprised by what today’s hearing aids can do, and how much more connected you’ll feel.