The answer may surprise you. There are millions of people who could benefit from a hearing aid but have never seen an audiologist or discussed their partial hearing loss with their doctors. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (part of the Centers for Disease Control), only one in five people who could improve their hearing through the use of hearing aids actually wears them.

You may also be surprised by the variety of people who have hearing loss. Although both sexes lose some level of hearing over time, men experience diminished hearing about 10 percent more often then women of the same age. Men are also less likely to see the doctor or get hearing aids.

It’s estimated that twenty-eight million Americans have some kind of hearing loss. That’s an impressive number, and many of them are individuals who are still in their thirties and forties. In fact, one out of twelve people have already become hearing impaired by the time they are thirty years old. As age increases so does the need for a hearing aid. Sixty-five percent of the people who would benefit from hearing aids are below retirement age, which can have a definite impact on their careers. By the time Americans are 75 years old, 45 percent of them have significant hearing loss.

The statistics are troubling. They indicate that millions of Americans who have some degree of hearing difficulty aren’t using hearing aids. With the newer sizes, styles and technologies now available, anyone who is bothered by even a small degree of hearing loss can be helped with customized hearing aids prescribed by licensed audiologists. Many people are surprised by the small size and unobtrusive appearance of their first hearing aid. Are you one of the millions of Americans who should consider a hearing aid? There are several signs to look for:

• Others complain that you keep the television or radio volume too loud.

• You find yourself asking others to repeat themselves in conversations.

• You’re uncomfortable in crowds because you can’t distinguish the different parts of a conversation.

• You hear better out of one ear than another.

• People tell you to stop shouting when you’re engaged in a conversation

• You find yourself straining to hear certain sounds that you used to be able hear easily.

• You have ringing in the ears or a hissing sound that is a constant or intermittent background noise.

• You are able to hear better if you are looking at a person directly and can see their lips moving.

• You can’t hear high pitched sounds such as the high notes of a flute.

• You no longer hear dripping faucets or other low volume sounds.

If you are experiencing any of the above problems, a hearing aid may help. Talk to your doctor about getting an appointment with an audiologist to have your hearing checked. The majority of people with partial hearing loss can use hearing aids to improve their hearing, and today’s models are better than ever. There is no reason to struggle with your hearing loss on a daily basis when a simple hearing aid can give you the pleasure of hearing clearly again.