{"id":2258,"date":"2021-11-23T18:19:12","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T00:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chsstl.org\/?p=2258"},"modified":"2022-08-12T16:16:25","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T21:16:25","slug":"the-essentials-for-hospital-stays-with-hearing-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chsstl.org\/the-essentials-for-hospital-stays-with-hearing-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"The Essentials for Hospital Stays with Hearing Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No one wants to spend time in a hospital, but sometimes medical emergencies come up and you need to seek immediate help. These stays can be stressful and frightening. Staying in the hospital when you have hearing loss can add more stress to an already difficult time in your life. Unfortunately, people with hearing loss are more likely to stay in the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2019 study examined hospital data of patients<\/a> with untreated hearing loss and those with normal hearing over a 10-year period. They found that people with untreated hearing loss had a greater risk of emergency room visits and were more likely to be readmitted after their initial visit. They also averaged longer stays than patients without hearing loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at a few steps you can take to make hospital stays easier if you have hearing loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell Your Doctors About Hearing Loss <\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Nurse<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Not just doctors, but also nurses, medical assistants and any other staff you come across during your stay in the hospital. Hospitals are often busy and fast-paced. Medical staff are working hard to help people as best they can, but they can\u2019t help what they don\u2019t know. It\u2019s possible not everyone you interact with will know you have hearing loss. This can make communication difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication is essential during a hospital stay. Your medical providers may need to ask you questions about previous health conditions, medications you\u2019ve taken, or allergies you might have. They also will need to explain aspects of your current treatment with you. These are not times to misunderstand or not be able to hear what is being said. If you tell your medical providers you have hearing loss, they can work to ensure you understand what is being said. They can also put a note in your chart or leave a sign on the door of your room letting others know as well so that they know how to communicate with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Tips for Staying in the Hospital with Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n