Hearing impairments have different levels of severity. When people think of hearing loss, they often think of deafness or severe hearing loss. Though mild hearing loss may not seem troublesome, any level of hearing loss can cause difficulty in communicating.
The severity of hearing loss is measured in decibels. A hearing loss of up to twenty-five decibels is often considered normal hearing. Mild hearing loss is considered to be twenty-six to forty-five decibels. Sometimes, the measurement for mild hearing loss is twenty-six to forty decibels. Some resources specify a hearing loss level called slight hearing loss which is hearing loss of sixteen to twenty-five decibels.
Mild hearing loss can affect one or both ears. If the hearing loss affects only one ear, the hearing loss is called unilateral. A bilateral hearing loss is a hearing loss that affects both ears.
A mild hearing impairment may be caused by a blockage of the ear canal such as that from earwax or fluid buildup from an ear infection. Hearing loss from a blockage is called conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve. Noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss is an example of a hearing loss that can be a mild hearing loss.
In normal face-to-face conversation, people with mild hearing loss do not typically have difficulty understanding the other person. However, if the other person is farther away or if there is a considerable amount of background noise, the mild hearing loss may interfere with the conversation.
Mild hearing loss can make it difficult to pinpoint the location of sounds. People with mild hearing loss are inclined to have increased volume on the television and other electronics. This can be more of an annoyance to others in the household than to the person with the hearing loss.
Many people with mild hearing loss will go without treatment. Hearing aids are expensive. The price often deters people with mild hearing impairments. Instead of purchasing hearing aids, people with mild hearing loss may compensate in other ways. People may adapt to mild hearing loss by making sure they have seating close to the speaker.
