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HAD TO SAY DURING A SURPRISE
PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
>>> ALSO THIS MAT GEORGE AND CI
HAD TO SAY DURING A SURPRISE
PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
>>> ALSO THIS MORNING ALARMING
SPIKE IN HEARING LOSS AMONG
YOUNGER PEOPLE.
WHAT IS CAUSING IT.
CAN YOU DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT
IT?
OU FOR PUTTING ME INABOUT THAT,
THE CATEGORY OF YOUNGERHEART-BR
SPEAK OUT JUST AHEAD.
>>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND ARE YOU ASHAMED TO ADMIT
THAT YOU HAVE TROUBLE HEARING?
IT'S A REAL PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF
YOUNGER AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY
WITH ALL THE DEVICES WE NOW USE
TO LISTEN TO MUSIC.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW WHAT
HAPPENED WHEN MATT PUT HIS OWN S
MORNING.
KERRY, THANK YOU.
>>> STILL AHEAD, MATT PUT HIS
EARS TO THE TEST, IS THERE
SOMETHING ABOUT HIS JOB THAT IS
AFFECTING HIS HEARING?
UH-OH.
BUT FIRST, THESE MESSAGES.
>>> STILL AHEAD ON A WEDNESDAY
MORNING HERE ON "TODAY," A SPIKE
IN HEARING LOSS AMONG YOUNGER
AMERICANS.
WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENED
WHEN I WENT AND GOT MY HEARING
TESTED.
I'M OKAY BUT THERE ARE
DEVELOPING ISSUES.
LET'S JUST SAY THAT.
>> REALLY?
>> ESPECIALLY IN MY RIGHT EAR.
>> I WONDER WHY.
OH, YEAH, RIGHT.
>> AND THAT'S YOUR LATEST
WEATHER.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
MATT GETS HIS HEARING TEST
CHECKED.
WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED
RIGHT AFTER THIS.
>>> WE'RE BACK NOW AT 8:09.
IN "TODAY"'S HEALTH WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HEARING LOSS.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT OLD ANG AND
HEARING LOSS YOU MIGHT THINK
AGAIN.
THE TRUTH IS YOUNGER AMERICANS
ARE LOSING THEIR HEARING AT AN
ALARMING RATE.
RECENTLY I FOUND OUT THAT
INCLUDES ME AS WELL.
WE LIVE IN A NOISY, NOISY WORLD.
SO NOISY THAT THE QUESTION THESE
DAYS ISN'T CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW
BUT CAN YOU HEAR ME AT ALL.
EXCESSIVE NOISE IS NOW THE
NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF HEARING
LOSS, NOT AGING.
AND OF THE NEARLY AMERICANS WHO
SUFFER FROM HEARING LOSS OVER
HALF IS UNDER THE AGE OF 65.
>> I HAVE THIS DISABILITY THAT
WAS AFFECTING EVERY ASPECT OF MY
LIFE.
>> Reporter: 39-YEAR-OLD, IS A
TRUE CHILD OF THE PSZ'80s GROWI
UP WITH HEADPHONES.
>> I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE
MORNING AND MY EARS WOULD BE
THROBBING.
>> Reporter: HIS HEARING LOSS
DEVELOPED GRADUALLY AND IN THE
BEGINNING HE WOULD, HE WOULD
TURN TO HIS WIFE FOR HELP.
>> HUGE, THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS BEING SAID.
>> Reporter: AND THEN AS YEARS
WENT ON, JIM BEGAN TO DISENGAGE
FROM ANY SOCIAL SITUATION.
>> I WAS ALWAYS AFRAID OF
MISSING SOMETHING OR THERE WOULD
BE AN AWKWARD SITUATION.
AND INEVITABLY I WOULD GET
CAUGHT.
AND THERE WAS AN ANXIETY TO
THAT.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER BIG
CONCERN, THE STIGMA OF WEARING
TRADITIONAL HEARING AIDS,
ESPECIALLY SINCE HE WAS STARTING
HIS OWN FITNESS BUSINESS.
>> I WOULD RATHER HAVE TAKEN MY
CHANCES WITHOUT THEM THAN HAVE
THEM IN AND PEOPLE MAKE
JUDGMENTS ON ME.
>> Reporter: AWEDOLOGIST SAYS
IT'S A COMMON CONCERN.
>> THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT
THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY.
THEY FEEL THAT IT'S ACCEPTABLE
BECAUSE IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THEM.
>> Reporter: THE DOCTOR SAYS
HEARING LOSS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
LOSING YOUR HEARING, BUT LOSING
YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH LIFE.
>> SHE SAID, LOOK, IF YOU DON'T
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS,
DEMENTIA IS GOING TO SET IN AND
YOUR BRAIN IS JUST GOING TO SHUT
OFF.
>> Reporter: HEARING LOSS IS
IRREVERSIBLE, THERE IS NO CURE.
BUT YOU CAN SLOW DOWN THE
PROCESS AND EVEN PREVENT IT,
WHICH IS WHY I DECIDED TO GET MY
HEARING CHECKED.
>> EVERY MORNING IN THE RIGHT
EAR WE WEAR WHAT IS CALLED AN
IFW, WHICH IS A LITTLE EAR
PIECE.
THIS WORRIES ME.
I WONDER WHAT THIS HAS DONE TO
MY HEARING.
>> Reporter: THE FIRST PART OF
THE HEARING TEST IS A PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION.
THIS IS GOING TO TELL YOU HOW
MUCH THE EARDRUM IS ACTUALLY
MOVING?
>> YES.
>> Reporter: THE NEXT PART OF
THE TEXT IS THE ACTUAL HEARING
EVALUATION.
A SERIES OF TONES I HAD TO
RESPOND TO.
>> ICE CREAM.
>> Reporter: AND THEN A SERIES
OF WORDS I HAD TO REPEAT.
>> BASEBALL.
>> BASEBALL.
>> OUTSIDE.
>> OUTSIDE.
>> NEW YORK.
>> Reporter: AFTER JUST 20
MINUTES, SOME PRELIMINARY
RESULTS.
>> YOUR LEFT EAR IS BORDERLINE
NORMAL, HEARING SENSITIVITY.
THE RIGHT EAR HAS A MILD HEARING
LOSS, THE RIGHT EAR WHERE YOU
USE YOUR --
>> RIGHT.
IS IT IN THE RANGE OF NORMAL FOR
SOMEONE WHO IS 53 YEARS OLD OR
HAS IT BEEN EXACERBATED, DO YOU
THINK, BECAUSE OF THAT?
>> IT PROBABLY HAS WORSENED DUE
TO THE NOISE EXPOSURE.
>> Reporter: FOR NOW THE DOCTOR
SAYS I DON'T NEED A HEARING AID,
BUT HAS PRESCRIBED CUSTOM MADE
EARPLUGS FOR LOUD EVENTS.
JIM'S RESULTS WERE QUITE
DIFFERENT.
HE HAD SIGNIFICANT HEARING LOSS
IN BOTH EARS, REQUIRING HEARING
AIDS.
>> RINGING?
>> NO.
>> NO.
DOES IT FEEL OKAY?
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: JIM'S HEARING AIDS,
THEY HAVE OTHER CHOICES AND
NOTHING LIKE THOSE OLD BEIGE
BANANAS OF THE PAST.
>> WHEN I HEARD THE STRENGTH OF
MY VOICE, IT MADE ME CRY.
IT WAS AS IF I HADN'T HEARD THAT
VOICE IN A VERY LONG TIME.
>> Reporter: AND NOW THAT JIM
HAS REGAINED THAT VOICE, HE HAS
A MESSAGE HE WANTS YOU TO HEAR.
>> GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
MISSING.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T
KNOW.
>> Reporter: JIM AND DR. SHELLY
ARE WITH US THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG?
>> JUST COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN
SKIN.
YOU DON'T REALLY -- YOU'RE NOT
REALLY AWARE OF HOW THAT YOUR
HEARING IS DISAPPEARING.
IT HAPPENS SO SLOWLY OVER TIME
THAT IT -- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST
COMFORTABLE WITH WHO YOU ARE.
>> I WAS STRUCK BY SOMETHING YOU
SAID IN THE PIECE, JIM, YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE
JUDGING YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> YES, THERE IS A STIGMA.
>> YEAH.
>> ATTACHED TO THIS.
>> WELL, IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE
IN EYE GLASSES LOOKS
INTELLIGENT, SOMEONE WITH
HEARING AIDS LOOKS HANDICAPPED.
>> SO YOU DIDN'T WANT THAT,
ESPECIALLY WITH A FITNESS
BUSINESS.
>> YEAH, YEAH, IT'S NOT HOW YOU
WANT TO BE PORTRAYED.
>> TURN SIDE WAYS FOR ME BECAUSE
YOU'VE HAD THESE PUT?
>> YES.
>> AND THESE HAVE TO BE PUT IN
BY A PROFESSIONAL, RIGHT?
I CAN'T SEE THEM AT ALL.
>> RIGHT.
>> VERY INVISIBLE.
>> ONCE THEY GO IN, HOW LONG DO
THEY STAY IN?
>> ABOUT THREE MONTHS AT A TIME.
SO IT HAS AN EXTENDED WEAR
BATTERY.
IT HASSLE FREE.
YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND
YOU START YOUR DAY JUST LIKE
ANYONE ELSE.
>> JIM, ARE YOU LIKE ME, YOU GO
TO A RESTAURANT BEFORE THESE.
>> YEAH.
>> AND IF THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER
NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND YOU
COULD BE LOOKING RIGHT AT THE
PERSON YOU'RE HAVING DINNER WITH
AND YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH
THAT?
>> YEAH, YEAH, IT'S VERY LOUD,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN CERTAIN
SITUATIONS, IT'S GOOD BUT IN
THAT KIND OF A SITUATION, NOT SO
GOOD.
>> SO HOW DO THESE CANCEL OUT
ALL OF THAT OTHER NOISE SO THAT
YOU DON'T JUST HEAR EVERYTHING
LOUDER?
>> THEY GOT SOME TECHNOLOGY IN
THERE THAT JUST KIND OF FOCUSES
IN ON WHAT I NEED TO HEAR.
>> THEY'RE VERY INTELLIGENT.
AND BECAUSE THE HEARING DEVICE
IS ALL OF THE WAY IN THE EAR
CANAL, YOU'RE USING YOUR NATURAL
EAR TO KIND OF FILTER OUT SOME
OF THAT NOISE.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF
WHERE SHE'S DEVICES HAVE COME,
OKAY?
THIS IS THE ONE ON THE TABLE
HERE THAT JIM HAS IN HIS EARS.
>> YES.
>> AND TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF
THESE OTHER DEVICES.
>> OKAY.
SO THE ONE RIGHT NEXT TO IT IS
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TO HEARING
DEVICE.
IT'S VERY DISCREET.
IT'S BASICALLY INVISIBLE AT THE
LEVEL OF THE EAR.
>> THESE ARE A LITTLE LARGER
OVER HERE?
>> THESE ARE THE OLDER
TRADITIONAL HEARING DEVICES.
>> THAT MADE HIM CRINGE.
>> YES.
>> THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT
WORRIED YOU?
>> I HAD TO GROW UP IN GRADE
SCHOOL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THOSE ARE THE ONES NO ONE
WANTS ME TO PRESCRIBE.
>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
WATCHING THIS, DOCTOR, MIGHT BE
THINKING, FIRST OF ALL, HOW
EXPENSIVE ARE THESE AND ARE THEY
COVERED BY INSURANCE?
>> THEY ARE NOT COVERED
INSURANCE TYPICALLY.
THE HEARING EXAMINATION IS.
SO YOU SHOULD -- EVERYONE SHOULD
GO AND GET A HEARING EXAM.
BUT THE HEARING DEVICES ARE
TYPICALLY $1500 TO $3500 PER
DEVICE.
>> BUT THEY CAN CHANGE YOUR
LIFE.
>> IT CHANGES THE QUALITY OF
LIFE, YES.
>> AND THIS IS WHAT YOU MADE FOR
ME.
MY HEARING LOSS IS MINOR.
>> YES.
>> SO IT'S PARTICULARLY IN THE
RIGHT EAR WHERE I DO WEAR THIS
LITTLE IFV DEVICE.
YOU WANT ME TO WEAR THESE
EARPLUGS WHEN I'M AROUND LOUD
NOISES.
>> YES.
I WANT YOU AND EVERYONE TO WEAR
THOSE EARPLUGS WHENEVER YOU'RE
EXPOSED TO NOISE, PARTIES, AND
WEDDINGS.
VERY IMPORTANT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS A
LITTLE DEPRESSING TO HEAR IN THE
PIECE IS THAT IT'S NOT
REVERSIBLE.
ONCE YOU LOSE YOUR HEARING OR
SOME DEGREE OF YOUR HEARING,
IT'S GONE FOREVER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> LIFE CHANGE DRAMATICALLY FOR
YOU?
>> YES.
IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE NOW.
>> THAT'S GREAT.