“I can hear people talking. I just can't understand what they're saying.”
At Miracle-Ear South Jersey, we hear some version of that sentence all the time.
Maybe your spouse seems to mumble.
Maybe you hear your grandchildren talking but miss enough words that you lose the story.
Maybe you're perfectly comfortable having a conversation at home, but the moment you walk into a busy restaurant, understanding the person across the table becomes exhausting.
And because you can hear, you assume your hearing must be fine.
That isn't always the case.
After more than 40 years of helping families throughout South Jersey, we've learned that one of the biggest misconceptions about hearing loss is that it simply makes everything quieter.
For many people, the first noticeable problem isn't hearing sound.
It's understanding speech clearly.
Why Can I Hear Someone but Not Understand the Words?
Hearing and understanding aren't exactly the same thing.
Speech contains many different sounds and frequencies. Some sounds provide much of the volume of speech, while other softer consonant sounds help distinguish one word from another.
When hearing changes, you may still hear that someone is speaking but have difficulty distinguishing portions of what they're saying.
That's why a person might say:
“I heard you. I just didn't understand you.”
Or:
“Everyone mumbles.”
Sometimes your brain begins filling in the missing pieces using context.
That can work surprisingly well—until it doesn't.
Why Restaurants Can Be So Difficult
A quiet living room is one listening environment.
A crowded restaurant is something completely different.
Now add several conversations, music, dishes, people walking behind you and a server speaking from several feet away.
Your brain has to separate the voice you want to hear from everything happening around it.
For someone experiencing hearing difficulty, that can require tremendous concentration.
You may lean forward.
You may watch the speaker's face.
You may ask people to repeat themselves.
Or you may smile and nod because you don't want to ask “What?” again.
By the end of dinner, you're exhausted.
That's one reason difficulty understanding speech in background noise is worth discussing with a hearing professional—even if you feel that you can still “hear.”
Sometimes Your Family Notices First
Hearing changes often happen gradually.
That means the people around you may recognize them before you do.
Your spouse notices the television getting louder.
Your children notice they're repeating themselves.
Your grandchildren notice you missed their question.
Meanwhile, you may genuinely believe everyone else has started mumbling.
If several people who know you well are independently telling you the same thing, don't immediately assume they're wrong.
You don't have to agree that you need hearing aids. But it may be time to find out how well you're actually hearing.
A Hearing Evaluation Is About Getting Answers
One reason people postpone a hearing test is that they believe walking into a hearing center automatically means someone will try to sell them hearing aids.
We don't believe that's how hearing care should begin.
At Miracle-Ear South Jersey, a complimentary hearing evaluation is about understanding where your hearing stands.
If your hearing is within an expected range, that's useful information.
If testing identifies a change, you can understand what it means and discuss appropriate next steps.
And if something appears to require medical evaluation, that should be addressed appropriately.
A hearing test is information—not an obligation to purchase hearing aids.
If You Need Hearing Help, Technology Has Changed Dramatically
People who haven't looked at hearing aids in many years are often surprised by today's technology.
Modern hearing aids can be small, discreet and rechargeable.
More advanced technology can use sophisticated digital processing and artificial intelligence to analyze changing listening environments and help manage competing sounds while emphasizing speech.
That becomes particularly important for someone whose biggest complaint is:
“I hear fine until there's background noise.”
But there is something consumers should understand.
Technology alone doesn't determine whether someone will be successful with hearing aids.
Who Fits Your Hearing Aids Matters
A hearing aid isn't simply a product you take home and turn on.
It needs to be appropriately selected for your hearing needs, fitted comfortably and professionally programmed.
Then it may need to be refined based on your experience in the real world.
That's why the experience and qualifications of the person providing your hearing care matter.
Our Miracle-Ear South Jersey team includes hearing professionals with decades of experience.
Michael “Mike” Gatto has more than 30 years of experience helping people with hearing loss. He is Nationally Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences, factory trained and licensed by the State of New Jersey. Mike sees patients at our English Creek office in Egg Harbor Township and our North Cape May office.
Michael Romanini brings more than 25 years of hearing-care experience and is board certified, with expertise in optimizing hearing aid technology for comfort, fit and real-world performance.
Janine Thomas is a New Jersey State Licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser with more than eight years of experience. She is factory trained and has earned outstanding 5-star Google feedback from patients for the care and service she provides.
We believe patients should know the qualifications and experience of the people responsible for their hearing care.
The Real Test Happens Outside the Office
A hearing aid can sound wonderful in a quiet fitting room.
But you don't live in a fitting room.
You live at the dinner table.
You go to restaurants.
You attend church.
You talk in the car.
You visit grandchildren.
You watch television.
You go shopping.
That's where successful hearing care is really measured.
After wearing hearing aids in those environments, you may discover that certain situations still need improvement.
That's where follow-up care becomes so important.
Settings can be adjusted.
Questions can be answered.
Comfort can be addressed.
As your hearing or lifestyle changes, your care can change with you.
Don't Let Your Hearing Aids End Up in a Drawer
We've met many people who already own hearing aids but don't wear them.
Sometimes they spent thousands of dollars on them.
Eventually, the hearing aids ended up in a drawer.
Why?
There isn't one answer.
Sometimes the technology wasn't appropriate for the person's needs. Sometimes the fit wasn't comfortable. Sometimes expectations weren't properly explained.
And sometimes the person simply didn't receive enough follow-up care and adjustment to become successful.
That's why Miracle-Ear provides lifetime aftercare.
Our relationship with a patient doesn't end when the hearing aids are delivered.
In many ways, that's when it begins.
Our patient care team, including Susan Ficken, Certified Front Office Associate and Patient Care Coordinator, and Melissa Groves, Front Office Associate and Patient Care Coordinator, helps patients with scheduling, follow-up appointments and continuing care.
Melissa has been with Miracle-Ear for more than five years and is factory certified and trained.
Our goal isn't to put hearing aids in your ears. Our goal is to help you successfully live with better hearing.
Local Hearing Care Across South Jersey
Miracle-Ear has been helping South Jersey families hear better for more than 40 years.
Today, our four local offices serve communities throughout Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem Counties, with locations in:
Egg Harbor Township
North Cape May
Vineland
Woodstown
Our patients receive care from a local team they can get to know while also benefiting from the resources and support of more than 1,600 Miracle-Ear locations nationwide.
For South Jersey residents who travel, relocate or spend part of the year elsewhere, that national network can provide an important additional layer of support.
We believe that combination—experienced local professionals, advanced hearing technology, lifetime aftercare and national support—provides tremendous value to our patients.
If It Were Someone We Loved
If our mother, father, spouse, sibling or close friend kept saying, “Everyone mumbles,” we wouldn't immediately tell them they needed hearing aids.
We would tell them to get their hearing checked.
We'd want them evaluated by an experienced professional who would explain the results honestly.
If hearing technology were appropriate, we'd want them to have options based on their actual hearing needs, lifestyle and budget.
And we'd want a team standing behind them afterward—helping with adjustments, answering questions and making sure they were actually successful.
If we wouldn't confidently recommend our care to our own family, we wouldn't recommend it to yours.
Stop Guessing About Your Hearing
If you're frequently saying:
“Everyone mumbles.”
“I can hear you, but I can't understand you.”
“Restaurants are just too noisy.”
“What did you say?”
Or if your family keeps telling you that the television is too loud, you don't have to keep wondering whether your hearing has changed.
Find out.
Miracle-Ear South Jersey offers complimentary hearing evaluations at our four convenient locations.
Call 609-646-2210.
One phone number connects you directly with our South Jersey team, and we'll help schedule your complimentary hearing evaluation at the office most convenient for you.
Egg Harbor Township
North Cape May
Vineland — conveniently located inside the Vineland Walmart
Woodstown
You may be hearing more than you think—and understanding less than you realize.
A hearing evaluation can help you find out why.
Lee Enterprises newsrooms were not involved in the creation of this content.
