Do people routinely tell you to “speak up?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or perhaps you’re told to “take it down a notch.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In either case, it can be a jarring experience to learn that you’re not speaking
at what others consider to be a normal volume level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post we’ll cover why this happens and what to do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your ears provide an important feedback loop to your brain while you are talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s say that you want to talk about Sally selling seashells on the seashore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you say all of those \u201csh\u201d sounds, your ears tell your brain that you\u2019re articulating those sounds correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If something sounds slushy about those \u201csh\u201d sounds, the motor planning parts of your brain can adjust your speech muscles to make those \u201csh\u201d sounds sharper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is the hearing and speaking feedback loop, and it’s something we’re all doing, all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the feedback loop is broken\u2014sometimes due to hearing loss\u2014people may speak less clearly, with excessive nasality, or at an abnormal volume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’ve all been in noisy environments where we had to speak up in order to be heard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our ability to automatically make our voices louder in these situations is known as the Lombard Effect<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raising our voices in those environments is of course, normal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you’re raising your voice in other environments and people are making comments to you, it may be a sign that you’re not hearing yourself as well as you should be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have sensorineural hearing loss\u2014here’s how to find out for sure.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s the most common type of hearing loss and is usually the result of aging or prolonged exposure to loud noise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Humor me for a moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take your fingers and plug up your ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Talk to yourself for a few seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice how your voice sounds louder, even a bit boomy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n When something is blocking your ears, your voice sounds louder to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This phenomenon is called the occlusion effect<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And if your voice sounds loud to you, what do you naturally do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lower it of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, others tell you that you’re speaking too softly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have a conductive hearing loss<\/a>\u2014here’s how to find out for sure<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A conductive hearing loss is a type of problem where something blocks the path of sound into your ear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It could be ear wax, an ear infection, or your inner ear bones not working properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, conductive hearing loss can be treated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the cause of a conductive hearing loss is treated, your voice volume should return to normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are concerned that you may be talking at an inappropriate volume, it’s time to schedule a hearing test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They’re quick, painless, inexpensive, and actually kind of fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The results of your test will indicate if you have a hearing loss, what kind of loss it is, and what preventative measures or treatment options are available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We know what you’re thinking…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whoa whoa whoa, hearing aids!?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes\u2014hearing aids may help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember the hearing and speaking feedback loop mentioned at the top of this article? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, if you have a hearing loss that can’t be corrected, hearing aids are the only way to correct the feedback loop and help you regulate your voice properly. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you speak too softly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to do about it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do hearing aids help?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n