Communication is essential to human beings, since we’re inherently communicative creatures. When we talk about communication, we don’t just mean verbal communication, but also non-verbal communication — the kind supported by gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
While being able to communicate through speech, gestures and expressions is something basic for any human being, for people with some degree of hearing loss it’s essential, since without that extra support they lose track of the conversation or miss important parts of it.
Lip reading plays a vital role in holding a conversation, and for people with hearing loss, relying on it is essential. With the arrival of Covid in our daily lives, this whole communication process was disrupted by the need to protect ourselves with face masks.
Face masks reduce both the volume and clarity of speech, resulting in a distorted listening experience. What’s more, if we’re also in a noisy environment and can’t rely on lip reading, the mask makes it even harder to hear.
Tips and recommendations for hearing better with a face mask
- Try to speak to the person face-to-face, and avoid a lot of background noise.
- Speak slowly and clearly, enunciating your words.
- If they can’t hear you, repeat yourself — even using different words if needed.
Solutions to avoid losing lip reading in the age of Covid
Nowadays, there are companies that make transparent face masks (in Spanish) that carry all the necessary certifications and approvals to guarantee protection against Covid. This is a solution that allows people with hearing loss to rely on lip reading and enjoy a conversation without losing track of it.
That said, the most effective solution for these people is still relying on a good hearing aid suited to their hearing needs, so they can enjoy a better quality of life.
What should I do if I notice I can’t hear other people well when they’re wearing a mask?
The arrival of face masks in our lives has also led people who never noticed any difficulty with their hearing to wonder whether they might have some kind of hearing health issue. It’s clear that masks muffle sound, and sometimes we have to raise our voice a little more to be heard — but if you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves often, it’s probably a sign that something isn’t quite right. If in doubt, it’s best to rule out any hearing problem, and if hearing loss is found, address it. For this reason, in these cases the best advice is to visit a hearing centre, where a hearing care professional can run the relevant tests to assess whether there’s hearing loss and, if confirmed, offer the best solution.
