Thursday, June 8, 2017

Why do I have more trouble hearing in restaurants then I do at home?

Hearing in noisy places can be difficult and frustrating.  The first and best thing you can do hear in noisy places is to keep both ears hearing.  It is necessary for the ears to work together to hear well inn noisy places.  Be sure to wear two hearing aids when you have difficulty hearing in both ears. Second, studies show that those who use hearing aids with directional microphones hear better in noise.  Directional microphone help you focus on the person you’re talking with and reduces the impact of the background sound.  Third, the restaurant you choose and where you sit in the restaurant affect how well you hear in noise. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
1.       Choose a quiet restaurant.
2.       Go to restaurants at less busy times.  For example, have lunch at 1:00 instead of noon.
3.       When you are being seated, ask to be seated along the wall or in a corner away and from the kitchen.
  1. Avoid dark restaurants.  You will be better able to pick up lip clues and facial expressions in a lighted restaurant.
  2. Go to restaurants with carpeting, drapes and tablecloths. These all absorb sound and create a quieter atmosphere.
  3. If the music is too loud, ask to have it turned down.
  4. Pick restaurants that don’t have a bar, or those where the bar is in a separate room.  This too will reduce the background noise.
  5. Last but not least, simply ask for a quiet table! There’s bound to be at least one.

Planning ahead and carefully choosing where to go will help ensure a pleasant evening.  

Life sounds great!  Enjoy every moment!


Jane Kukula, AuD & Ashley Spisak, AuD
8897 Mentor Ave
Mentor, Ohio 44060

440-205-8848

Fax: 440-205-9818