May is National Speech-Language-Hearing (NSLH) Month! As hearing professionals, we’re passionate about hearing and communication, and we’re excited to take the time to raise awareness about hearing and communication health.
We’re taking the opportunity this NSLH Month to celebrate hearing aids, those incredible devices that make speech, language, hearing and connection possible for so many people with hearing loss.
The Human Need for Communication
Speech, language and hearing are all critical components of our ability to communicate. We use speech, language and hearing to speak to each other, connect with each other, understand each other and build relationships with each other. And humans are a social species, so our ability to do these things is intrinsically woven into our nature.
A breakdown of any one of those three components can cause communication breakdowns and affect our relationships. Such is the case with hearing. Many people with hearing loss struggle with forming social connections, and as a result may experience feelings of embarrassment, insecurity, loneliness and even social isolation.
How Modern Hearing Aids Help with Communication
Modern hearing aids have two major features that make communication much easier for people with hearing loss: speech amplification and background noise suppression.
Speech amplification is your hearing aids’ smart ability to discern if an incoming sound is speech and amplify speech intentionally. Sound waves are hitting the microphone all the time, but the advanced digital processor inside the body of the hearing aid sorts them all and decides what needs to be emphasized or toned down. It will always choose to emphasize speech. This means better speech clarity and no more missed words.
Background noise suppression is, as the name suggests, the quieting of background noise so it doesn’t drown out what you’re trying to hear. The auditory complex of the brain, a sort of command center for your ability to hear, is meant to automatically filter out background noise, such as the refrigerator humming, but with hearing loss, the auditory complex has weakened. The good news is that the advanced digital processor in your hearing aids can pick up the slack and automatically filter out background noise before it even reaches your auditory complex, freeing up your cognitive energy to focus on what matters: the person speaking to you.
Feeling the Difference in Communication
Social connection and the ability to communicate are directly tied to our health and overall well-being. Empowered by hearing aids, many people notice the following:
- Better relationships
- Increased social interactions
- Decreased feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Renewed confidence
- Decreased rates of depression and anxiety
These are exactly the kinds of strides that we want to celebrate during NSLH Month!
If you’re ready to start your journey with hearing aids and get reconnected to the world around you and enjoy clearer communication, give us a call at The Hearing & Speech Center.
We also have a robust speech pathology service for infants, preschoolers and school-aged children. NSLH Month is for everyone, and it certainly includes speech, so call us or visit our page if you want to learn more about these services!
