Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that may affect balance, hearing and cause Tinnitus and/or a feeling of fullness in the ear.
One of the most common symptoms of Meniere’s Disease is hearing loss.
Hearing loss caused by Meniere’s Disease can come and go, usually as a result of shifting fluid levels in the ear. Over time, the pressure created by the fluid can cause irreversible damage to the inner ear, leading to a permanent loss in hearing.
As hearing loss is expected in individuals who have Meniere’s Disease, you may opt to take precautionary measures to prepare for the future.
Preparation can include learning how to lipread, as it will allow you to “fill in the blanks” of speech when things are missed due to hearing challenges as hearing gradually declines. This skill can also help you improve communication in challenging listening environments like when there is background noise.
What is Lipreading?
Speech (lip) reading involves watching the movements of the lips, jaw and tongue to "fill in the blanks" of words or sounds that may have been missed.
When lipreading, it can also be helpful to watch a person's facial expressions, eye expressions, and body language in order to interpret what is being said.
Finally, knowing the context of the conversation is helpful and allows you to make educated guesses to help you process words more quickly and accurately.
What Are The Benefits Of Learning To Lipread?
Not only will learning to lipread help you feel more involved in daily conversations, but it can also improve your everyday life. Other benefits of lipreading include:
Build Your Confidence: Learning and building your lipreading skills can enhance your listening skills and help you feel confident that you are able to successfully contribute to conversations. Lipreading can help you interact with others, improve your communication skills, and help remove feelings of isolation as a result of living with hearing challenges.
Improve Relationships: By learning how to lipread, many people can reconnect with their family and friends as they can communicate more effectively, without fear of missing out. For those who do not have hearing loss, it's a great way to improve your understanding and improve your communication skills.
Be Independent: Independence is a big part of lipreading for many of the people who learn it. By learning how to fill in the gaps of speech, people feel as though they are no longer reliant on others to ensure they can participate in everyday conversation. This means they can get back to the things they enjoy doing without the fear of missing out.
Read Our Lips
Read Our Lips is a great introduction course to the world of lipreading, as it teaches you the lip movements associated with the speech sounds F, V, PH, P, B, M, TH, and more.
Learning to lipread has proven to be beneficial for many people of all ages and backgrounds, including individuals who have tinnitus.