Now that people are wearing masks, do you feel like people mumble?

Are you frustrated and tired of constantly saying "what"?

Is this you? Face masks are now required in many public places to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. If you have noticed that having a normal conversation is frustrating and that you are asking people to repeat what they have said, you are not alone. Face masks add an extra challenge to hear normal conversation when they are speaking to you with a mask on their face.

A friend's mom who works in a dental office recently shared with me that because of face masks, when patients arrive, she is really struggling to hear what they are saying. Unconsciously, when we speak with other people, we use visual cues, like reading lips, to help us hear and understand what is being said. But now, with face masks covering people's mouths, those visual cues are gone. Those with even a mild hearing loss are now finding it much more difficult to have a normal conversation without saying "what".

Helpful strategies from a New Jersey hearing doctor for communicating when wearing a mask include:

• Asking others to speak slowly, clearly and at a normal volume.
• Rephrase remarks when not understood.
• Take turns when speaking.
• If wearing hearing aids, make sure to have them on.
• Keep background noise in the room to a minimum.
• Face each other (from a safe distance).

So now what? If you are frustrated and ready to hear conversation without missing a thing, you should get the help you need now.

This article is written by Dr. Rhee Rosenman-Nesson of Hearing Doctors of New Jersey which is pioneering a new way to delivery mode , personalized hearing care by utilizing our proprietary H.E.A.R. Method^TM in hearing aid selection, verification and fitting so that you never miss another word -GUARANTEED.