{"id":27039,"date":"2026-01-22T09:19:35","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/?p=27039"},"modified":"2026-01-22T09:20:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T08:20:19","slug":"how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/","title":{"rendered":"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Understanding_Hearing_Loss_Severity\" >Understanding Hearing Loss Severity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Clinical_Audiogram_Thresholds_For_Hearing_Aids\" >Clinical Audiogram Thresholds For Hearing Aids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Real-Life_Signs_You_May_Need_Hearing_Support\" >Real-Life Signs You May Need Hearing Support<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#How_Audiologists_Decide_If_Hearing_Aids_Are_Required\" >How Audiologists Decide If Hearing Aids Are Required<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Pure-tone_Results\" >Pure-tone Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Speech_Clarity\" >Speech Clarity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Lifestyle_Needs\" >Lifestyle Needs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Type_of_hearing_loss\" >Type of hearing loss<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Emotional_And_Social_Impact\" >Emotional And Social Impact<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#Can_Earwax_Cause_Hearing_Loss_Symptoms\" >Can Earwax Cause Hearing Loss Symptoms?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#When_Should_You_Seek_Professional_Help\" >When Should You Seek Professional Help?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#1_Do_I_Need_Hearing_Aid_For_Mild_Hearing_Loss\" >1. Do I Need Hearing Aid For Mild Hearing Loss?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#2_What_Is_The_60-60_Rule_For_Hearing_Loss\" >2. What Is The 60-60 Rule For Hearing Loss?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#3_What_Is_The_1_3_6_Rule_In_Audiology\" >3. What Is The 1 3 6 Rule In Audiology?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#4_Do_You_Really_Need_A_Hearing_Aid_With_30_Percent_Hearing_Loss\" >4. Do You Really Need A Hearing Aid With 30 Percent Hearing Loss?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"27039\" class=\"elementor elementor-27039\" data-elementor-settings=\"{&quot;ha_cmc_init_switcher&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8964eee e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8964eee\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f01e734 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f01e734\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your hearing is approximately 30\u201335 dB or if you have trouble understanding speech, especially when there is background noise, you may require a hearing aid or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/\"><b>microsuction ear wax removal birmingham.<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The decision is based on both your audiogram and everyday communication demands. Early examination helps you receive the most relevant support, whether that\u2019s hearing aids or simply clearing plugged ears. If you are looking for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/same-day-ear-wax-removal\/\"><b>same day ear wax removal<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> then you can try searching for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-near-me\/\"><b>earwax removal near me<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> online.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Introduction<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adults who are slowly losing their hearing often ask, &#8220;How bad does your hearing have to be to get a hearing aid?&#8221; \u201d While many assume hearing aids are only needed for severe or advanced hearing loss, the reality is quite different. Modern audiology doesn&#8217;t simply look at the results of your hearing test. It also looks at how well you understand speech, especially when there is noise, and how your hearing impacts your daily life.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog uses well-known clinical guidelines and the knowledge of competitors to explain when hearing aids are helpful, what audiologists look for, and how symptoms can sometimes be caused by temporary problems like wax build-up, which can be easily fixed with services like microsuction <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/\"><b>ear wax removal in Birmingham<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_Hearing_Loss_Severity\"><\/span><b>Understanding Hearing Loss Severity<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pure-tone audiometry test measures how bad hearing loss is in decibels (dB). The most common groups are:<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Normal: 0 to 20 dB<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mild: 21\u201340 dB<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderate: 41\u201370 dB<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Severe: 71\u201390 dB<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Profound: 91 dB or more<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even slight hearing loss can make it hard to talk to others, especially in areas with a lot of noise, such caf\u00e9s, family gatherings, or workplaces.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you reside in a city where there is background noise, even a small loss can make it hard to understand speech.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Clinical_Audiogram_Thresholds_For_Hearing_Aids\"><\/span><b>Clinical Audiogram Thresholds For Hearing Aids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most adults begin benefiting from hearing aids at roughly 30\u201335 dB of hearing loss, especially as speech clarity worsens. If audiologists think you need hearing aids, they may suggest them.<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speech gets indistinct, even when the volume is loud<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scores for speech recognition go down<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have to work hard to hear discussions when there is noise.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You often get words or directions wrong.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing problems might make it hard to work safely or get along with others.<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If doctors think there are transitory conductivity problems, they might initially look for wax buildup. People in the Midlands, for instance, often get rid of abrupt muffling by having <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-coventry\/\"><b>ear wax removal in Coventry<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can make them hear again right away.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real-Life_Signs_You_May_Need_Hearing_Support\"><\/span><b>Real-Life Signs You May Need Hearing Support<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you don&#8217;t have a lot of hearing loss, challenges with communication in real life can show that you require hearing aids. Some signs are:<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having trouble keeping up with group talks<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having to turn up the TV louder than some people want<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not hearing soft sounds like doorbells or phone notifications<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling intellectually tired from trying to listen<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not wanting to be with people since it makes it hard to talk to them<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you see these patterns, it could mean that you have trouble hearing.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But sometimes the problem is only momentary. A brief visit to an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-near-me\/\"><b>earwax removal clinic near me<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> might help rule out wax build-up before you think about getting hearing aids.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Audiologists_Decide_If_Hearing_Aids_Are_Required\"><\/span><b>How Audiologists Decide If Hearing Aids Are Required<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audiologists look at more than just your hearing thresholds:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pure-tone_Results\"><\/span><b>Pure-tone Results<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your hearing levels in dB<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Speech_Clarity\"><\/span><b>Speech Clarity<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How well you understand spoken words is called speech clarity.<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lifestyle_Needs\"><\/span><b>Lifestyle Needs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work, family, hobbies, and background noise<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Type_of_hearing_loss\"><\/span><b>Type of hearing loss<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Sensorineural:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Permanent; usually needs hearing aids<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Conductive: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It could be transitory (like an illness or wax).<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Emotional_And_Social_Impact\"><\/span><b>Emotional And Social Impact<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being alone, stressed out, or too tired to talk<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, someone with mild loss who works in a busy <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-stourbridge\/\"><b>Earwax removal in Stourbridge centre<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">environment might need hearing aids earlier than someone in a quiet job.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Earwax_Cause_Hearing_Loss_Symptoms\"><\/span><b>Can Earwax Cause Hearing Loss Symptoms?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course. Earwax can make:<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing that is muffled<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing suddenly drops<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling full or under pressure<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hard to hear quiet sounds<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before making a decision about hearing aids, doctors make sure the ear canal is clear. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-solihull\/\"><b>Ear syringing Solihull<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-wolverhampton\/\"><b>Ear syringing Wolverhampton<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are two therapies that can often restore hearing without the need for any gadgets.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For older people, those who can&#8217;t move around easily, or people who just want to make things easier, services like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/home-visit-ear-wax-removal\/\"><b>earwax removal at home<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are a great alternative to going to the clinic.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Should_You_Seek_Professional_Help\"><\/span><b>When Should You Seek Professional Help?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need a hearing test, you should make an appointment:<\/span><\/p><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have trouble hearing for more than three weeks straight.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You suddenly lose your hearing (this is an urgent concern)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You often don&#8217;t hear what people are saying.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because you can&#8217;t hear well, you feel alone.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are more than 50 years old and have never had a hearing test.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have problems with ear wax that keep coming back, and you need help like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/ear-wax-removal-sutton-coldfield\/\"><b>Ear wax removal in Sutton Coldfield<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need help right away because your ears are blocked, clinics that offer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earwaxspecialist.co.uk\/same-day-ear-wax-removal\/\"><b>same-day ear wax removal<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you get your hearing back swiftly.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Closing Thoughts<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing aids can help those who don&#8217;t have really bad hearing. Adults with mild to moderate hearing loss frequently find that their speech is clearer, their confidence is higher, and they are more involved in social situations after they have the right hearing help. If you have trouble hearing, an audiological assessment can provide you clear answers and personalized remedies.<\/span><\/p><p><b>FAQ<\/b><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Do_I_Need_Hearing_Aid_For_Mild_Hearing_Loss\"><\/span><b>1. Do I Need Hearing Aid For Mild Hearing Loss?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have trouble understanding speech, especially in noisy places, you might require a hearing aid for mild hearing loss. Early help makes it easier for the brain to get sound messages, which makes communication better in the long run.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_What_Is_The_60-60_Rule_For_Hearing_Loss\"><\/span><b>2. What Is The 60-60 Rule For Hearing Loss?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 60-60 rule says you should think about getting hearing aids if your better ear can only hear sounds that are 60 dB or worse and you can only understand 60% of what people say.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_What_Is_The_1_3_6_Rule_In_Audiology\"><\/span><b>3. What Is The 1 3 6 Rule In Audiology?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1-3-6 rule is a way to help babies develop by assessing their hearing by the time they are one month old, diagnosing them by the time they are three months old, and intervening by the time they are six months old.<\/span><\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Do_You_Really_Need_A_Hearing_Aid_With_30_Percent_Hearing_Loss\"><\/span><b>4. Do You Really Need A Hearing Aid With 30 Percent Hearing Loss?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, you can. A &#8220;30% loss&#8221; usually means that you have mild to severe hearing loss. Hearing aids help a lot of adults at this point, especially when there is noise.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your hearing is approximately 30\u201335 dB or if you have trouble understanding speech, especially when there is background noise, you may require a hearing aid or microsuction ear wax&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":27040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6.1 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity &amp; Thresholds Explained<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity &amp; Thresholds Explained\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ear Wax Specialist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/earwaxspecialistbrum\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"idigitalise idigitalise\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"idigitalise idigitalise\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"idigitalise idigitalise\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/person\/87330d2ddf97ade1f21d7f82e5d9b663\"},\"headline\":\"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\"},\"wordCount\":1119,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Uncategorized\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\",\"name\":\"When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity & Thresholds Explained\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":667,\"caption\":\"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/\",\"name\":\"Ear Wax Specialist\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ear Wax Specialist\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Ear Wax Specialist\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/earwaxspecialistbrum\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/earwaxspecialist\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCgPo4OJ-oF-tmtj1v4uP7ng\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/person\/87330d2ddf97ade1f21d7f82e5d9b663\",\"name\":\"idigitalise idigitalise\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"idigitalise idigitalise\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/author\/idigitalise\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity & Thresholds Explained","description":"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity & Thresholds Explained","og_description":"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.","og_url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/","og_site_name":"Ear Wax Specialist","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/earwaxspecialistbrum\/","article_published_time":"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"idigitalise idigitalise","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"idigitalise idigitalise","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/"},"author":{"name":"idigitalise idigitalise","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/person\/87330d2ddf97ade1f21d7f82e5d9b663"},"headline":"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?","datePublished":"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/"},"wordCount":1119,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","articleSection":["Uncategorized"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/","url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/","name":"When Do You Need a Hearing Aid, Severity & Thresholds Explained","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-22T08:19:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-22T08:20:19+00:00","description":"Learn how much hearing loss requires a hearing aid, clinical thresholds, symptoms, and when to see an audiologist for proper advice.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","width":1200,"height":667,"caption":"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/how-bad-does-your-hearing-have-to-be-to-get-a-hearing-aid\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How Bad Does Your Hearing Have To Be To Get A Hearing Aid?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#website","url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/","name":"Ear Wax Specialist","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#organization","name":"Ear Wax Specialist","url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"Ear Wax Specialist"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/earwaxspecialistbrum\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/earwaxspecialist\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCgPo4OJ-oF-tmtj1v4uP7ng"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/#\/schema\/person\/87330d2ddf97ade1f21d7f82e5d9b663","name":"idigitalise idigitalise","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/db97c766f33a56b66a3b217faf9f16a0c0015e6ca20fd06663a591ca28f4e127?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"idigitalise idigitalise"},"url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/author\/idigitalise\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Blog-3-A.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27039"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27039\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27044,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27039\/revisions\/27044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/idigitalise.org\/earwaxspecialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}