There are many times when a disability is obvious. When a person loses a limb, it is noticeable and easy to diagnose them as disabled. Not all disabilities are this easy to diagnose because they cannot be seen. Some of these disabilities may be a progressive issue like a hearing loss. Other disabilities, such as failing eyesight or hearing, may be ignored in everyday life. It often takes a visit to the doctor's office to correctly diagnose a person's medical issue and decide whether or not it is truly a disability.
People with hearing loss may or may not have a disability. Sometimes a problem with hearing loss can be remedied with ear wax removal. Once the wax is gone, the person's hearing returns to its customary range. Temporary loss of hearing can also be the result of a very loud noise. If a person is only exposed once, their hearing may return to normal over time. Hearing loss can also be a progressive or permanent condition that renders a person disabled. Damage to nerves in the ears can result in loss of all hearing over time. This condition would eventually be diagnosed as a disability.
Hearing loss is often a progressive problem. At first, a person may have difficulty hearing only certain sounds. This is a normal sign of aging and does not always result in a disability. If there is a partial hearing loss, digital hearing aids can bridge the gap in hearing. They are programmed to sort different sounds and enhance conversational tones while muting background noise. Many older people have found them useful in hearing restoration.
A person with a hearing disability has generally lost all their hearing in one or both ears. Much of the time this is due to nerve damage that cannot be reversed. A specialist is generally the person who will diagnose them as disabled. Training in coping with the hearing loss may be recommended. There are many devices on the market that translate sound to light for people with a hearing disability. A service dog may also be an option. They are trained to assist people by alerting them to important sounds like alarms.
