Hearing Loss Is No Joke
Hearing loss is no laughing matter. Hearing loss can cause stress, frustration, anxiety and depression. Untreated hearing loss has even been linked as a factor in the onset of dementia.
But have you noticed that hearing loss also makes it harder to laugh at a joke? That’s not because you’ve lost your sense of humor along with your hearing. It’s because people with hearing loss have a difficult time understanding the punch line at the end of a joke.
Have you ever found yourself with a group of people who laugh at the ending of a story—and you pretend that you “got it”?
Jokes and humorous stories are funny because there’s a twist, or a wordplay at the end. That’s what makes the punch line funny—something unexpected happened. But it is just that change of direction that makes it difficult for someone with a hearing loss.
Here’s an example of a punch line that’s a play on words. After reading it, imagine trying to hear it:
Man: So I got these new hearing aids—I hear great with them.
Friend: Really? What kind are they?
Man: 3:30
Now that’s funny—provided you can hear each word clearly and therefore get the wordplay at the end. But when you have a hearing loss, you may not hear every single word and often you’re filling in. It’s very difficult to fill in on words that are a twist or a pun!
So don’t be surprised if you find it difficult to “get” jokes. It’s your hearing, not your sense of humor.
From our Hearing HealthCare News©
A newsletter for our patients, their families and friends
Fall 2015