If you were 80% deaf in both ears, how bad is that compared to normal? I need an idea of how bad that'd be...

Question

If you were 80% deaf in both ears, what's that the equivalent to? Would they absolutely need hearing aides to hear? Would you need to scream to talk to them? In a book, a young man goes 80% deaf, and I'm trying to get an idea of how he'd be/react in real life.

Answer 1

It sort of depends on "what" his deafness is. Example...someone can have a broken arm. There are a ton of different types of breaks. From breaking the bone clean in half, to a chip, to a spiral fracture, ect.

All those different breaks affect you in different ways.

I'm mostly deaf in one ear. I got spinal menintis when I was 13. My deafness makes it nearly impossible for me to hear when there is background noise.

So going to a crowded resteraunt, makes it so I cannot join in the conversations at the table...and I'm only hearing impaired in one ear (about 80% loss in the one ear).

I need people to look at me, when they speak, so their voice is being "aimed" directly at me. It also lets me read their lips a bit, and pick up on their facial ques. They don't have to yell, or shout, or even speak up...just speak DIRECTLY to me.

I'd say if you really want to know, put some ear plugs in, put ear muffs over them, and then tie a scarf over that, so the ear muffs are held snuggly, but not too tightly against your head. Turn on some music at a normal volume for you, and try to have a conversation with someone. It would be great if they are sort of busy...like lets say your Mom making dinner. So sometimes she's speaking dirrectly at you, and other times she turns and is stiring a pot, but still speaking.

You will get an idea of the frustration involved. Of course the frustration would be even worse with someone you didn't know, because you wouldn't be able to read their body language, and they might pronouce words in ways you were not familure with.

Hope this helps you out some.

~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 2

A person who has a hearing loss of 80% in each ear would have to be fitted with hearing aids in both ears to live a normal life. Again it would depend on the cause of the deafness. The only person equipped to answer correctly would be a specialist doctor of eyes, ears, nose and throat.

Answer 3

Almost Deaf