Our lives are busy and hectic – from our jobs to cooking food to social activities. It most likely seems like there’s never enough time to have your hearing evaluated. And perhaps you don’t even recognize any hearing loss – so you think a hearing test can wait.
Here’s why you shouldn’t wait:
1. You Can Protect Against Further Hearing Loss
Many individuals don’t recognize how severe their hearing loss is becoming because it progresses so slowly. As time passes, they begin compensating and changing their lifestyle without realizing it. In the meantime, they continue to do things to make their hearing loss worse.
But knowledge is power.
It can be an eye-opener to get your hearing tested. You can slow the advancement of hearing loss but there is no way to reverse the damage already done.
If you are enduring moderate hearing loss, you will want to find out how to stop it from getting worse.
The progression of hearing loss can be slowed by more effectively controlling chronic disease, reducing your blood pressure, and exercising more.
Your ears will be protected from further harm by wearing ear protection when exposed to loud sounds and reducing your exposure.
2. You Don’t Even Realize How Much You’re Missing
If you are experiencing moderate hearing loss, you may have gradually forgotten how much you enjoy listening to music. Not needing to ask family and friends to repeat themselves when they talk to you is something you may not even remember.
You might have slowly distanced yourself from friends or your favorite activities.
You can find out just how much hearing loss you have by getting a hearing assessment. In most situations, we can help improve your hearing.
3. You May Improve Your Hearing Aid Experience
Perhaps you already use hearing aids but you really don’t like to use them. You might not think they help very much. Getting your hearing re-examined by a hearing specialist will help you discover if you have the correct hearing aid for your kind and level of hearing loss and whether it’s correctly adjusted.
4. It’s Possible That You’re At Risk Already
Measurable hearing loss can be detected in both ears in 13% of U.S. citizens (30 million people) 12 and older. And debilitating hearing loss is endured by 8.5% of adults 55 to64. Environmental factors are commonly to blame. It isn’t simply about aging. Exposure to loud sound causes the majority of it.
Your at an increased risk if you are engaged in any of these activities:
- Work at a loud job
- Shoot firearms
- Attend concerts, plays, or movies
- Ride a motorcycle or snowmobile
- Listen to loud music or use earbuds
- Mow the lawn
Hearing loss can be triggered by any of these common activities. If you notice a decline in your hearing at any age, you should have your hearing tested by a hearing specialist as soon as possible.
5. It Will Improve Your Overall Health
Individuals with neglected hearing loss have a substantially higher chance of:
- Social isolation (preferring to be alone)
- Depression
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s
- Missing or skipping out on doctor appointments
- Slow healing or repeated hospital visits
- Falls that result in injuries
- Longer treatments in hospitals and rehab
- Anxiety
Getting your hearing checked is about more than just your hearing.
6. Tense Relationships Can be Repaired
Untreated hearing loss can test the patience of your friends and family members. Misunderstandings are more common. The situation is frustrating for everybody. Resentment and regret could be the result. Friends and family members might even exclude you from get-togethers versus having to continuously repeat what they said.
But misunderstandings and stressed relationships can be prevented by getting a hearing assessment and that’s the good news.