How hard of hearing is HoH?

facadepapergirl

facadepapergirl

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I have bad hearing. I'm constantly having to ask people to speak up. If I'm in a restaurant or place with even mild background noise, I can be sitting across a booth from someone, and not understand the noises that they make. Sometimes, even right next to them. It's very annoying, but whenever I come across someone HoH, they have a hearing aid, and rely pretty heavily on it for oral communication.

So, how hard of hearing is Hard of Hearing? How bad is bad enough to be HoH? I feel weird describing myself as Hearing, considering just how much I have to ask people to repeat themselves, and how I hate watching things without subtitles or Closed Captions. At the same time, I can't see myself being considered HoH, seeing how well I can hear compared to people who need hearing aids to function as Hearing in the Hearing world.

Is there a certain level that you have to reach to be HoH? Is there a list of symptoms separating bad hearing from hard of hearing? Is there any kind of line? The best way, I know, is to see a doctor and have your hearing tested, but I don't have medical insurance right now, or a doctor. I also have a friend who is considered HoH, but he seems to be able to hear people in a group easier than I. He says, however, that he's had more practise at it.
 
facadepapergirl said:
I have bad hearing. I'm constantly having to ask people to speak up. If I'm in a restaurant or place with even mild background noise, I can be sitting across a booth from someone, and not understand the noises that they make. Sometimes, even right next to them. It's very annoying, but whenever I come across someone HoH, they have a hearing aid, and rely pretty heavily on it for oral communication.

So, how hard of hearing is Hard of Hearing? How bad is bad enough to be HoH? I feel weird describing myself as Hearing, considering just how much I have to ask people to repeat themselves, and how I hate watching things without subtitles or Closed Captions. At the same time, I can't see myself being considered HoH, seeing how well I can hear compared to people who need hearing aids to function as Hearing in the Hearing world.

Is there a certain level that you have to reach to be HoH? Is there a list of symptoms separating bad hearing from hard of hearing? Is there any kind of line? The best way, I know, is to see a doctor and have your hearing tested, but I don't have medical insurance right now, or a doctor. I also have a friend who is considered HoH, but he seems to be able to hear people in a group easier than I. He says, however, that he's had more practise at it.
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There are clinics and centers where you can get free hearing tests and other free medical care. Just search for "TX" (or whatever town/city you're in in Texas) "uninsured" and "free hearing test."

Just because you've been able to mostly "get by" without hearing aids doesn't mean you aren't hard of hearing. The only way you'll know for sure whether you are or find out what type of hearing loss you have (if you have one) is to get your hearing tested. Many people who are HOH don't wear hearing aids and you wouldn't necessarily know they're HOH unless they tell you. I used to be one of those people; I'm almost 50 years old, have been HOH my whole life, and just got my first hearing aids 18 months ago. I have moderate hearing loss in one ear and severe hearing loss in the other.

The different levels of hearing loss are measured on an audiogram such as this one (it's just one example) that also shows where certain speech sounds and other sounds can be heard: http://www.hearinglink.org/what-is-the-speech-banana Even a mild hearing loss can mean someone has difficulty hearing certain sounds, so would still be considered HOH, and some people with mild hearing loss wear hearing aids.

Most American health insurance plans don't cover the cost of hearing aids for adults, which is one reason why there are so many HOH people who don't have hearing aids. There are also HOH people who could afford to get hearing aids and choose not to get them. If you get your hearing tested, at least you'll finally know for sure what your level of hearing is, and you'll also be able to ask a professional any questions you have about your hearing.

You said in this post and another post in a different thread that you have "bad" hearing but you either don't think it means you're HOH or you're not sure if you're HOH. You seem confused about HOH in general, so - especially if you want to eventually be an ASL interpreter - you should get your hearing checked out and learn more about what HOH means.
 
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just quick reply if see h.o.h or H of H. D d,crickets by what you write I would say you both hh just ask that person.Facdgal please see a doctor many things can be responsible for your hearing they may do MRI scan could be simple from wax to brain problems if they refer you to audiology which they will, only then will you know .you get right HA if you from UK it free you American it exspensive
 
I know some people get wax build up in their ears and that can made it hard to hear. Have had your ears checked for wax , my neighbor thought he was losing his hearing and it was wax in his ears. You can get a see hearing test to see how earing lost you have . If you're trouble hearing people you're hard of hearing.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I know some people get wax build up in their ears and that can made it hard to hear. Have had your ears checked for wax , my neighbor thought he was losing his hearing and it was wax in his ears. You can get a see hearing test to see how earing lost you have . If you're trouble hearing people you're hard of hearing.
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my mothers has and it driven her insane but at a 100 I doubt they do anything syringing no help as wax tightly compacted not help by her sticking pencil in her ears
 
When I first was losing my hearing went to hub's audi office and had hearing test and looked in my ears for wax- no wax.

I'm hard of hearing and am similar to OP in terms of what they describe.
I say I'm hoh because that way hearing <people> know I have trouble hearing and because it's most appropriate ID in the d/Deaf community in my area. I don't have HA's partly cause we can't afford them for both me -and - my husband who is oral deaf, raised hearing, and does have bilateral BTE's. His BTE's are actually loaned from his audi since he needs new aids for a few years now but has been just trying to keep getting them fixed enough to use. <He has technical /EE -'EE'= Electronic Engineer- background so he can work with them himself quite a bit>.
So his own aids <no the loaners he wears> have actually been "getting fixed" this most recent time, for maybe a year now.
and no, not eligible for DVR or Lion's Club or anything though I was a DVR client in college.

Deaf w/little d and hoh terms are both cultural/contextual but then have more "medical" or "institutional " definitions also.
Hard of hearing goes from mild to profound in terms of "medical" perspective.
 
I'm HOH but I tell people I'm deaf because when they hear the word "hearing" they assume I can do a lot more than I can with it.

Laura
 
I may have to tell people I'm deaf instead of hard of hearing. I wear glasses to see far away and frankly my current glasses aren't strong enough anymore, I can't afford new ones. So whenever I try lip-reading people without my glasses, it's a nightmare..... with my glasses, well I'll be lucky if the person actually FACES me! LOL

But yes, I have moderate to severe hearing loss even though I strongly think it's more severe than moderate. Without my hearing aids, I can't hear you unless you're 3 inches away from my face, I can lip-read fine just fine though. With my hearing aids, I can still hear but it's not as great.
 
You can buy glasses at a drug store they cost a lot less . I have my TV volume on at 43 and I turned my HA way down and I could not hear a thing on TV . That is how hoh I am . I say I am deaf with my HA off and hoh with it on. I don't like to tell people I am hoh or deaf b/c they will end up yelling at me or talking in a monotone voice . :roll:
 
whatdidyousay! said:
You can buy glasses at a drug store they cost a lot less . I have my TV volume on at 43 and I turned my HA way down and I could not hear a thing on TV . That is how hoh I am . I say I am deaf with my HA off and hoh with it on. I don't like to tell people I am hoh or deaf b/c they will end up yelling at me or talking in a monotone voice . :roll:
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I HATE it when people mention drug store glasses. Most of the drug store glasses are for those that are near sighted (can't see up close) or reading glasses! My eyes aren't the same, last I checked them, my left was at 40/20 and my right at 175/20! So no, I cannot get glasses at drug stores.
 
You don't have to get bend out of place b/c you hate drug store glasses , I know someone that get all their glasses at a drug store b/c they cost less.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
You don't have to get bend out of place b/c you hate drug store glasses , I know someone that get all their glasses at a drug store b/c they cost less.
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I need glasses for reading, so "drug store" glasses work for me. In fact, I like how I can buy a bunch of them fairly cheap, in a variety of colors and styles to match my outfits, and stash them in various purses and rooms throughout the house.
 
Sabiya said:
I HATE it when people mention drug store glasses. Most of the drug store glasses are for those that are near sighted (can't see up close) or reading glasses! My eyes aren't the same, last I checked them, my left was at 40/20 and my right at 175/20! So no, I cannot get glasses at drug stores.
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Near sighted means can't see far distances, but can close up.
Far sighted means can see far distances, but can't close up.

But you're right that with your numbers, off-the-rack glasses won't work for you.
 
Reba said:
I need glasses for reading, so "drug store" glasses work for me. In fact, I like how I can buy a bunch of them fairly cheap, in a variety of colors and styles to match my outfits, and stash them in various purses and rooms throughout the house.
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I do that too , I have glasses in my bedroom ,computer room and purse. I have TMJ and have a hard time finding glasses that are comfortable so I have
to buy mine from my eyes Dr. I know people that buy drug store glasses for a back up pair.
 
Yeah it really depends on the individual. Some people can get away with reading glasses from the drugstore. I can't though. My eyes are completely different. And sadly... Because of my condition my vision tends to change quite frequently so whenever I get my eyes tested for new glasses i pray that its on a good day. Lol. Oh well...
 
Is there a name for being HoH/deaf. I am deaf in one ear and HoH in the other.

Sent from my LGLS990 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
o0talula0o said:
Yeah it really depends on the individual. Some people can get away with reading glasses from the drugstore. I can't though. My eyes are completely different. And sadly... Because of my condition my vision tends to change quite frequently so whenever I get my eyes tested for new glasses i pray that its on a good day. Lol. Oh well...
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What happen if you get glasses on a good day then have a bad day, will your glasses still work for you? I am not sure how much your vision change . I know some glasses store have sales right before school , you buy one pair and get the second pair at half price. Does your insurance help pay for your glasses ?
 
aweet_princess198925 said:
Is there a name for being HoH/deaf. I am deaf in one ear and HoH in the other.

Sent from my LGLS990 using AllDeaf App mobile app
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You could say Mild, Moderate or Severe for hard of hearing and Severe to Profound for deaf. It depend on your degrees of your hearing loss. You can not say "I am HOH/Deaf".

Like for example, I am severe to profound deaf. That is both of my ears. So that is where you can name your hearing loss. Did you take your hearing test at the audiologist's office?
 
Yes I have profound loss in my right and sever in my right. I have a hearing aid in my right but not my left.

Sent from my LGLS990 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
Whatdidyasay... No I don't have vision insurance. But it's okay. Under normal circumstances my vision changes are slight.. It depends on how much pressure is in my head due to the excess spinal fluid. So it changes a little bit. But once I get this resolved I will most likely need a new prescription since that is what happened last time. After my last surgery the pair of glasses I had became useless. But who knows... I might get lucky.
 
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