Treatment

Try these communication strategies:

• If it's difficult to hear the person who's talking, try to move closer. Even a few inches can make a difference.
• Seat yourself in the center of a group where it's easy to hear and see everyone. Try to avoid sitting at the end of a table or a long sofa.
• If you're going to a restaurant or a private dinner party where loud background music is being played, don't be afraid to request a lower volume.
• Noise levels can vary considerably even within the same room. Try to sit away from noisy areas like an entrance, restaurant kitchens, heating systems or loudspeakers.
• Call ahead or arrive early to your destination. Ask about assistive listening devices or a favorable seating arrangement.
• Arrive early to a lecture or to worship so you have time to inform the speaker of your situation and request that he or she uses a microphone properly at all times.
• At question and answer sessions, ask the speaker to repeat the questions before answering.