Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1545202
C I N E M A A U D I O S O C I E T Y. O R G 61 Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear and auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss is permanent and cannot be reversed and would be managed through hearing aids. Considering an average lifespan, everyone at one point or another will have some form of sensorineural hearing loss during their life. There is also a third condition called tinnitus that affects many people with or without hearing loss. For the purposes of this article, we won't delve deeper into it, but it can be a debilitating condition that heavily affects your hearing. If hearing aids have become cheaper and more accessible, then why do people still put off getting them? While we won't get into the history of deafness, it's worth mentioning that the stigma surrounding hearing loss has existed since well before hearing aids even existed. Those experiencing hearing loss as stated previously wait for long periods of time before actually managing their hearing loss. Many feel like they will be looked down upon because of their hearing loss and the need for hearing aids. That perception is magnified within our profession. Bruce Beacom is an L.A.-based sound mixer who had severe otosclerosis and lost his hearing. He has been able, through multiple surgeries, to regain some of his hearing and manage the rest with hearing aids. There are multiple articles in Production Sound & Video from Local 695 and from other manufacturers about Bruce's experience. He has stated how hard it was to overcome the perception that he couldn't do his job because of his condition and the need for hearing aids. There are other sound mixers that wear hearing aids who are actively and successfully working in the audio industry. Having hearing loss and managing it through hearing aids does not mean that you can no longer bring value to your own work and the industry as a whole. We don't rush to judgment when a director of photography wears glasses. We have tools to correct human limitations such as poor eyesight and hearing loss and it's very beneficial to use those tools. One of the most common things that people say when they first get their hearing aids is how loud everything is around them. They have been missing out on so many things when they could not clearly hear the world around them. One of the more difficult situations to be in with hearing loss is noisy environments where people are speaking to each other, such as a restaurant. Sometimes, however, it can be almost impossible for someone with higher level hearing loss to be able to understand the words coming from the others in the room. Using hearing aids allows those with hearing loss to interact again with their friends and family in social situations. There is a big correlation between hearing loss and depression due to the loss of social interaction and the feelings of inadequacy. Untreated hearing loss is also strongly linked to a higher risk of developing dementia, with chances doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling based on the severity of the untreated hearing loss. So, not only do hearing aids help with depression, but they can also help reduce the risk of developing dementia. Sound is a critical part of not only our lives as professionals but also to each person on this planet. The landscape of sound allows us to communicate with each other, have spatial awareness of our surroundings, and creates emotional responses within us. Imagine watching a scary movie with no sound. I question whether you would feel any type of fear or even jump during the jump-scare moments. Think about not being able to hear the beautifully written score and the intricate sound design that are key to having us feel love, sadness, or bravery. I recently watched My Girl with my two oldest daughters, and the terrible tragedy toward the end of that movie would not have the same effect on the human soul without being able to hear through the soundtrack the emotions being portrayed and perceived by the viewers. Our jobs as audio professionals have given us something special that allows us to communicate in a very special way to the rest of the world. We have the privilege to hear, and we also get to allow others to experience hearing in different and exciting ways. I encourage all of us to be more mindful of our own hearing and to take care of it. We should also be mindful of others that are experiencing hearing loss and encourage them to not be ashamed but to try and get it managed so they can continue to live life to the fullest. If you're looking for a couple of good books on hearing, I recommend The Universal Sense by Seth Horowitz and Volume Control by David Owen. The Universal Sense explores the connection of sound to the mind and Volume Control is about the practical consequences of hearing loss and the corrective opportunities. I also recommend that you visit your audiologist and get a baseline if you don't already have one. If you already have a baseline, make sure you follow up every three to five years to get a new hearing test done. Let us help break the silence on hearing loss and embrace the advances that allow everyone to hear the world around them.