Annual medical checkups are recommended by healthcare providers to ensure that your medical needs are addressed. Think about the various appointments you have scheduled for this year already. They may have included: an annual physical at your primary care physician, a dental cleaning at the dentist, or maybe an eye exam at the optometrist. The purpose of these appointments is all the same- to ensure that you remain in good health and that any changes, physical, mental, and emotional, are properly addressed. Your hearing should not be treated any differently. However, many patients fail to see the importance of maintaining annual audiological evaluations and hearing aid checks with their audiologist.
Although hearing loss is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease, a visit to an audiologist is often overlooked and not highly prioritized on a person’s list of things to do (HLAA). Roughly 20% of adults in the United States report some degree of hearing loss. Of that 20%, at age 65, one out of three people have hearing loss (HLAA). So, why is it that something so seemingly important is given such little attention?
In most cases, hearing loss is a gradual decline over time and often goes unnoticed by the patient. An indication that your hearing may be declining could be:
1- the feeling that people mumble
2- increased difficulty communicating on the telephone
3- inability to understand speech on the television or radio
4- experiencing difficulty understanding conversation in loud environments (i.e. family gatherings and restaurants).
Most patients however, rarely notice a change in their hearing unless there has been a drastic decline that has impacted their daily lives. Addressing hearing loss and taking early preventative action can make all the difference in your daily life and in communication with those around you. Untreated hearing loss can cause tension in relationships with those closest to you and can be linked to cognitive decline. Additionally, hearing loss can also cause unnecessary stress on your body. The sooner hearing loss is detected, the sooner your audiologist can provide proper treatment. Annual audiological exams and six month hearing aid checks can assure that you are properly addressing your hearing health.
With an annual audiological evaluation, your audiologist will be able to monitor and detect the slightest change in your hearing. This is important to note because even the slightest change in hearing can negatively affect hearing performance. Once the current hearing status is noted, proper adjustments to your hearing aids can be made to insure that you are receiving the appropriate amplification for your hearing loss. If you do not currently wear hearing aids and a hearing loss is detected by your audiologist, you will receive the appropriate consultation and recommendations to ensure that you have all the knowledge you need and the appropriate action plan to begin the aural rehabilitation process with hearing aids.
We hope that you take charge of your communication needs and have your hearing tested and monitored annually.
“Basic Facts About Hearing Loss | Hearing Loss Association of America.” Hearing Loss Association of America. Web. 28 July 2015.