Hearing problems are not unusual. A report from World Health Organization in 2015 showed there are 600 million people suffered from hearing impairment, accounting for 5.3% of the global population. This report also showed there were 27.8 million people with hearing impairment in China. It is important to get a hearing test to find out whether a hearing aid can help. You can also take these steps to help yourself hear more clearly.

Take charge of speaking situations

•  Face the person who is speaking with you. Stand or sit within six to ten feet of the speaker to hear most clearly

•  If you are comfortable doing so, let the speaker know that you have a hearing impairment and that you will do much better if he or she looks at you and speaks clearly and distinctly

•  Ask friends and family members to speak to you only when they are in the same room. It's very difficult to hear if the speaker and listener are in different rooms

Listen between the lines

•  Do not expect to hear every word. No one hears everything all the time! Listen for key words

•  Do not dwell on what you missed

•  Use the words you do hear to get more information

•  Ask questions to make sure you understand. People with normal hearing frequently ask a speaker to repeat what he or she said

For instance,

   o  What did you say about_________?

   o  How did _________do_________?

   o  When did _________do_________?

Don't be afraid to ask for help

•  If you do not hear enough to get key words, and the person has repeated the message, ask him or her to say it again using different words

•  If proper names are used and you can't understand them evenwhen they are repeated, ask the speaker to spell them

•  When you do not understand what someone is saying, take it as an opportunity to find out why you are not hearing more clearly:

  o  Were you paying attention?

  o  Was the lighting poor?

  o  Was there a lot of background noise?

  o  Was the speaker talking too softly?

This document is intended to provide health related information so that you may be better informed. It is not a substitute for your care team's medical advice and should not be relied upon for treatment for specific medical conditions.

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