Did you know that March 3 is World Hearing Day? You might think that has nothing to do with you, but are you sure about that? Here at Physicians Hearing Care, we know that when people first start to lose their hearing, it can sometimes be hard to notice. All over the country, there are people living with an unidentified hearing loss. We’d like to explain to you just how important it is to get your hearing checked.
Losing your hearing is a big deal
As you get older, your hearing becomes less acute. The tiny hair cells in the inner ear can become damaged over time, and that will affect your hearing. Did you know that around one in three Americans ages 65-74 has a hearing loss? The number is even greater in people ages 75 and over. That’s a huge number of people, and many of those people do nothing about it.
We understand that it can be embarrassing to admit that you are starting to lose your hearing. Nobody wants to admit to getting older, so when things like hearing loss come along, it is tempting to ignore it. But that would be a mistake. Like many things, early detection and treatment of age-related hearing loss can prevent it from becoming much worse.
It’s a slippery slope
Once hearing loss starts to affect you, if you do nothing about it, it can have an impact on your life in many ways. People with an untreated hearing loss quickly become isolated, as keeping up with social engagements becomes difficult. It can even affect your brain function. If your brain is working extra hard to figure out what is being said because the ears aren’t working correctly, it has less power to use for other functions. Memory can start to slip, and general cognitive functioning can be affected. Recent studies show a link between hearing loss and dementia, and that’s something everyone wants to avoid.
Don’t ignore the mumbling
Do you find people mumble more these days? Have you stopped to think that the problem might be your ears, rather than people not speaking clearly? An early indicator of hearing loss is finding it harder to understand what people are saying, particularly if you are not looking directly at them while they are speaking. You would be surprised by how much you read people’s lips and facial expressions. If someone is shouting to you from a different room, or talking on the telephone, you may find it that much harder to understand what they are saying.
Does your loved one complain that you have the TV volume turned up too high? Do you find it difficult to follow a conversation in noisy locations? These are all signs that it’s time to get a hearing test. Getting a hearing aid no longer carries the stigma it used to, as advances in technology have made them much smaller and more discreet.
Book a hearing test
Whether you are starting to have problems with hearing or not, if you are over 50 it is a good idea to get your hearing checked. Visit us for a hearing assessment in Tennessee, and put your mind at rest. Schedule your hearing assessment today, and look after your hearing for the years to come.
