Mild hearing loss, though often overlooked, can substantially affect daily communication and quality of life. Conventional hearing aids remain the mainstay of hearing loss management, yet their high cost has limited their widespread adoption. Recently, alternative amplification devices, such as personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, have gained attention....
Clinicians should reconsider a 'watch-and-wait' approach for mild hearing loss, as this review supports earlier intervention with conventional hearing aids given documented impacts on communication and quality of life.
Reframing mild hearing loss as clinically significant could shift fitting thresholds and counseling practices, expanding the addressable patient population substantially.
- 01Mild hearing loss has measurable negative effects on daily communication and quality of life.
- 02Tinnitus is a frequently co-occurring and underappreciated aspect of mild hearing loss.
- 03Conventional hearing aids are identified as the primary management strategy.
- 04The review challenges a common clinical tendency to under-prioritize mild hearing loss.
- 05Earlier intervention may prevent secondary psychosocial consequences.
Mild hearing loss significantly impairs daily communication and quality of life.
studysupportedTinnitus is an underappreciated clinical aspect of mild hearing loss.
studypartially supportedConventional hearing aids are the primary recommended management for mild hearing loss.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42056011
- DOI
- 10.7874/jao.2025.00633.
- Journal
- Journal of Audiology & Otology
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Individuals with mild hearing loss
- Intervention
- Conventional hearing aids for mild hearing loss
Primary outcomes
Daily communication ability; Quality of life; Tinnitus prevalence and severity