Is Wearing A Hearing Aid Classified As A Disability?

Many people feel that they are immediately incapacitated if they are diagnosed with a hearing impairment. While hearing loss may not always be regarded as a disability, it is dependent on the severity of the hearing impairment, says an expert of hearing loss treatment in Kolkata.

How much hearing loss is considered a disability?

The crucial point to remember is that we can only classify hearing loss as impairment under certain situations. Hearing loss or hearing impairment is classified as degenerative, which means it worsens with time and can be slowed by treatment. So, when is hearing loss considered a disability? In general, it is considered a disability if it comes under any of the following categories:

• Unable to repeat 40% of words in a word recognition test

• A bone conduction hearing threshold of fewer than 60 decibels (dB)

• An air conduction hearing threshold of more than 90 decibels (dB)

If you fall into one of these three categories, you may be eligible for disability benefits for your hearing loss, says the expert of a well-known hearing aid centre in Kolkata.

Is the use of a hearing aid considered a disability?

Because people have varying degrees of hearing impairment and the thresholds mentioned above classify hearing loss as a disability, wearing a hearing aid does not automatically make a person disabled. 

Wearing a hearing aid assists with hearing loss, which reduces any perception of disability because they are worn to avoid worsening hearing impairments under the three thresholds set out above. As a result, simply because you wear a hearing aid does not qualify you as impaired or have a disability.

The importance of diagnosing a hearing condition

Several organizations define impairment according to the severity of the loss. The five levels of hearing impairment are commonly classified as profound, severe, moderately severe, moderate and mild. All of them necessitate the use of hearing aids, says the expert of hearing test in Kolkata. 

Wearing a hearing aid gives some support, thereby diminishing or eliminating the state of disability. However, the label “disabled” carries a lot of weight. Many people define disability differently depending on their physical symptoms. An invisible impairment may be regarded lightly or neglected by most people.

Because hearing loss is a degenerative condition, if not treated properly, the situation may worsen. If you believe you have a hearing impairment, you must check your hearing regularly to ensure that you do not require extra treatment, says the expert of hearing aids in Kolkata.