Hearing difficulties can be most noticeable in a variety of environments, but understanding speech with competing background noise, such as in a restaurant, auditorium, or large group setting can lead to frustration and even isolation, as it is difficult to participate in conversation when you are struggling to hear what is being said. If you only notice your hearing difficulties in these environments, then there are steps that you can take to assess and treat the issue to ultimately improve your speech understanding.
Schedule a Hearing Test
Hearing struggles in background noise can be a symptom of underlying hearing loss. Schedule an evaluation with an audiologist or hearing care professional to have your hearing tested as a first step. A baseline hearing test can not only identify hearing loss, but also record your current hearing levels that can be monitored over time.
Discuss Hearing Technology With Your Audiologist
Once your hearing is properly evaluated, then an audiologist or hearing care professional can interpret these results and discuss if hearing technology such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and/or remote microphones would be beneficial for you. Hearing technology can enhance speech clarity and provide auditory stimulation to the brain that can aid both in hearing and in brain health.
Consider Auditory Training
Hearing is a complex process that involves more than just the ears, but also the brain. When you struggle to hear in background noise, wearing even the best set of hearing aids is sometimes not enough, as the brain plays a crucial role in filtering out extraneous information and emphasizing the speech signal. The objective of auditory training is to train the brain to better understand speech in a variety of difficult environments, including background noise. Consistent, daily use of auditory training programs is recommended for optimal results. Auditory training programs can be computer or app-based.
Use Effective Communication Strategies
There are certain environmental and communicative modifications that you can use to also improve speech understanding when background noise is present. Below are a few examples of effective communication strategies:
- Face your partner when talking. You will be able to see their lips and facial expressions, which can give you clues to what they are saying.
- When you are in background noise, find an area with good lighting. This will give you access to more visual cues to fill in any gaps when you are listening in background noise.
- Try to position yourself with the noise behind you and the speech in front of you, especially if you wear hearing aids. The hearing aids are designed to prioritize the signal coming from the front, as they assume that you want to pay attention to whatever you are facing.
Hearing difficulties in background noise can be frustrating, but there are steps that can be taken to address it and ultimately lead to improvements. Do not hesitate to take the first step and schedule a hearing evaluation by contacting The Hearing Center at 469-803-5552 or emailing thehearingcenter@dallasesar.com.
