I’m young and active. You could say I’m in my prime. How is it possible that I am struggling with my hearing?
We’ve heard this from people in their 50s and even much younger. Most assume that hearing challenges only affect old people, but in our noisy world, hearing loss is impacting the lives of a high number of young adults.
The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that over 60 million American adults under age 69 are exposed to noise levels that could damage their hearing where they work and about 18 million are exposed to damage from non-occupational noise.
These statistics tell us that we can no longer assume that hearing challenges are reserved for those 70 years old and older. Neither can we assume that all hearing challenges are the same.
Fortunately, the personalized hearing care provided by Physicians Hearing Care of East Tennessee is not designed to reach only those who are in a certain age bracket. The first step to overcoming hearing challenges is a hearing assessment regardless of how old you are.
What Can a Hearing Test Do for Me?
In spite of the fact that they begin to experience the early signs of hearing loss, most people wait up to seven years before addressing it. While they are waiting, their condition worsens and they begin to experience other healthcare issues, such as cognitive decline and balance disorders.
Getting your hearing tested early on rather than waiting is a major positive! Early hearing assessments give us a wider range of treatment options to help head off the damage as well as improve your mental outlook.
Many of my patients come in for a hearing assessment and leave feeling more confident about their hearing, themselves, and their futures. We’re also seeing more adults in their 50s and younger beginning to recognize the benefits of specialized hearing care as a positive lifestyle choice.
A major hurdle for many is the fear of being stigmatized as broken and old, especially when it comes to the possibility that they might need hearing aids. If hearing aids are the right solution, there is comfort in the fact that today’s hearing technology is smaller, lighter, nearly invisible, more powerful, and comes with amazing programming options.
Before you jump the gun by assuming that hearing aids are the only solution, have your hearing tested and see what options are available to help you overcome your unique hearing challenges.
What to Expect during Your Hearing Assessment
To start off your hearing assessment, you and your audiologist will go through your health records, family history, occupation, hobbies, and social activities looking for common indicators that you are at risk of developing a hearing loss.
We’ll follow up our initial interview with a physical examination of your ears to see if you have a blocked ear canal, damage to your eardrum, or other indicators of structural damage to your ears. We will even give your ears a quick cleaning if necessary.
The next phase of testing involves transmitting sounds at different frequencies and volumes through two different types of headphones to establish your hearing threshold, or the lowest volume you are able to hear various frequencies.
We will also test your ability to understand and process speech with and without background noise to get a feel for the real world struggles you may be experiencing.
Once the various tests are complete, your audiologist will discuss your test results with you, explaining what they mean and then providing you with the various options available to ensure better hearing.
Think of a hearing assessment at Physicians Hearing Care of East Tennessee as a hearing wellness check that is not designed to sell you a pair of hearing aids but to determine how your hearing health could be affecting your body as well as the impact it is having on your personal and professional life.
We highly recommend having your hearing tested every couple of years after you reach the age of 50. By monitoring the changes of your hearing, we can stay ahead of the curve and ensure that your active and independent lifestyle can continue without interruption before you reach retirement and beyond.
Concerned about Your Hearing?
If you’re concerned about your hearing, want to safeguard your future—your social life, work life, and family life—a hearing assessment can help you stay in control of your hearing health and quality of life as you age.
If you are experiencing some hearing challenges, even minor ones, maybe it’s time to consider hearing wellness checks at Physicians Hearing Care of East Tennessee. Follow this link to schedule a comprehensive hearing assessment or call us at the PHC clinic nearest you:
