Hearing loss can affect almost every part of your life and it can be especially discouraging when it makes your favorite leisure activities less enjoyable. When we can’t hear properly it becomes increasingly difficult to appreciate a wide range of activities, from parties and family meals to concerts and television shows.
Missing out on your favorite television shows due to hearing loss might turn a comfortable evening on the couch into a challenge. While it is true you can turn up the volume on your TV set, that’s not necessarily the best option for an optimal viewing and listening experience.
Keep Your Volume Down
Constantly increasing the volume on your television to a level that is louder than your family or friends would prefer is a good sign you have unaddressed hearing issues. While turning up your television volume can help temporarily, it isn’t always as effective as it seems. For starters, increased volume often goes hand in hand with increased audio distortion coming from your speakers, making the sound louder but not necessarily any clearer.
Loud television volumes can help you hear but they can be a problem for those you are living with — it can interfere with the lives of others in your household and even disrupt neighbors. Turning up the volume makes it hard for those with normal hearing to enjoy watching programs alongside you.
Other Options
Fortunately, there are options for people with hearing loss that allow you to have a much more enjoyable experience. Here are just a few ways to improve how you watch television with hearing loss.
Hearing Aids Are Key
The use of hearing aids is a key component to successfully managing hearing loss. Hearing aids are an investment in your quality of life – tiny and powerful devices that make it easier to keep up with conversations, navigate the world around you, and enjoy activities like watching TV.
If you have hearing loss, treating it with hearing aids can greatly improve your communication and comprehension, and television is no exception. Simply wearing your hearing aids can help make viewing easier and more pleasurable. Many hearing aids can also be programmed by your hearing specialist with a setting balanced for television viewing.
Streaming Audio
One of the most exciting features common on today’s devices is the ability to stream audio from your phone, computer, television or other digital device directly to your hearing aid.
Sound delivered straight to your ear canal is clearer and easier to understand. It allows you to have enhanced access to the television’s soundtrack while those around you can watch at the volume that they prefer.
Captioning
Even with enhanced listening, using your television’s captioning feature can make it easier to access your favorite shows and keep up with dialogue and action. When sound environments become complex, it can be hard to untangle and prioritize different aspects of a soundtrack, especially if you live with hearing loss.
Captioning allows you to have a shortcut or backup plan for viewing. Even if you don’t rely on the captions all the time, keeping it turned on while watching give you a backup method of staying abreast of the plot if your ears miss something.
Induction Loop
Induction loops provide the technology that many airports and churches rely upon to create an audio channel specifically for hearing aid users. Often called “telecoil loops”, induction loops send out an audio signal that can be picked up by hearing devices that are equipped with a telecoil. The effect is similar to streaming, with sound delivered directly to your ears.
Small induction loop amplifiers can be installed in your home and plugged into your television to make the TV audio available to the telecoil in your hearing aid.
Kenwood Hearing Centers
Kenwood Hearing Centers offers six convenient locations in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, and Fairfield so there’s always an option nearby. Our customer-focused care and state-of-the-art testing means that you get hearing healthcare tailored to your needs. Kenwood’s knowledgeable staff of hearing specialists provides you with insight into improving your hearing – reach out to us today!