From cooking meals to our jobs to social activities – our lives are busy and chaotic. Getting your hearing Examined probably doesn’t seem like something you can find the time to do. And maybe you don’t even recognize any hearing loss – so you believe a hearing test can wait.
Here’s why you shouldn’t put it off:
1. You Can Prevent Further Hearing Loss
Because hearing loss often progresses slowly, many individuals don’t realize how bad it’s become. After a while, without even realizing it, they start compensating and changing their lifestyle. All the while, they continue to do things to make their hearing loss worse.
But knowing is half the battle.
Getting your hearing examined can be eye-opening. You can slow the progression of hearing loss but there is no way to reverse the damage already done.
It will be helpful to know how to keep your moderate hearing loss from worsening.
The progression of hearing loss can be slowed by more efficiently managing chronic disease, reducing your blood pressure, and exercising more.
Reducing your exposure to loud sounds and wearing ear protection during loud activities will further safeguard your inner ears from additional damage.
2. You Don’t Even Know How Much You’re Missing
You might have slowly forgotten your appreciation for music if you’ve been dealing with moderate hearing loss. You might not recall what it’s like to have a conversation without asking family or friends to repeat themselves.
You may find yourself getting further away from doing your favorite things and spending time with friends.
Having a hearing test lets you assess your degree of hearing loss. In most cases, we can help make improvements to your hearing.
3. You Might Make Your Current Hearing Aid Experience Better
If you already use a hearing aid, you might not want to wear it. You may not think they help very much. Having your hearing retested by a hearing specialist will help you learn if you have the right hearing aid for your kind and degree of hearing loss and whether it’s effectively adjusted.
4. It’s Possible That You’re Already at Risk
Measurable hearing loss can be found in both ears in 13% of U.S. citizens (30 million individuals) 12 and older. And debilitating hearing loss is experienced by 8.5% of adults 55 to64. Environmental factors are usually to blame. It’s not simply something that happens when you get older. Exposure to loud sound causes the majority of it.
If you engage in the following activities, you’re at an increased risk:
- Listen to loud music or use earbuds
- Go to concerts, plays, or concerts
- Hunt or practice shooting with firearms
- Work at a noisy job
- Ride a motorcycle or snowmobile
- Mow the lawn
Hearing loss can be a consequence of any of these common activities. You need to go have your hearing examined by a hearing professional as soon as you can if you detect a decline in your ability to hear regardless of what your age is.
5. Your Over-all Health Will Improve
Individuals with neglected hearing loss have a significantly higher chance of:
- Falls that cause injuries
- Alzheimer’s/dementia
- Anxiety
- Social isolation (preferring to be alone)
- Depression
- Longer time spent in hospitals and rehab
- Missing or skipping out on doctor appointments
- Slow healing or frequent hospital visits
Getting your hearing tested is about more than only your hearing.
6. Rebuild Tense Relationships
Neglected hearing loss can test the patience of your friends and family members. It’s more common for misunderstandings to happen. Everyone will get irritated with the situation, including you. Regret and bitterness can be the result. Rather than constantly having to repeat themselves, family and friends might begin to exclude you from gatherings.
But here’s the good news, getting your hearing tested will help repair stressed relationships and stop misunderstandings from happening again.