Hearing Health News
What are some positives of aging that speak to you? If you’re having a little trouble getting your list together, don’t despair: Healthy Aging Month was created as an opportunity to choose happiness for your future by taking active steps to maintain your physical and mental well-being. And where to begin isn’t as daunting as you may think.
This post originally appeared on Starkey.com
Today’s fact headlining the lack of hearing screenings at routine doctor exams may surprise you—or not.
If you’re surprised: It’s probably because you’ve been keeping up with the mounting research that strongly links hearing loss with dementia, cognitive decline, depression, loneliness, and falls.
If you’re not surprised: You may be familiar with the current state of shorter appointments in the U.S. and let’s face it—it’s not uncommon for physicians to prioritize other tests, labs, and questions before hearing. You’ve likely “been there,” and realize if you had any hearing loss concerns, it would be your role to mention them to the physician.
While the reasoning behind the lack of hearing screenings at routine exams isn’t clear-cut, we can take today’s fact as a reminder of how important it is to prioritize our hearing health. Regular hearing exams not only are the first step in helping to prevent the long-term detriments of hearing loss, such as dementia, but also play an immediate role in the early intervention of age-related hearing loss—which is gradual and often difficult to detect. As a result, people may not even realize they have hearing loss until it is further along and more challenging to treat.
On a positive note, the case integrating hearing screenings into regular health exams appears to be gaining some momentum: The esteemed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, for example, recently recommended routine doctor hearing screenings in a published report titled Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability.
But while progress continues to grow, taking care of our hearing is up to us.
Fortunately, there are two things you can do:
If you think you may have hearing loss, or even if you’re unsure, tell your physician. They can refer you to a licensed hearing care professional in the same way they might refer you to a dermatologist for skin issues. A hearing specialist will have the equipment and expertise to evaluate your hearing and counsel you through treatment options for any hearing issues you may be experiencing.
As it stands, experts recommend having your hearing screened every three years once you’re 50. So, you can feel empowered to make it a part of annual health checks. Hearing evaluations are simple and pain-free, and can easily be set up with a hearing care professional near you.
For a head start, simply type your zip code in here to generate a list of local providers. They will be happy to show you how your hearing is doing, and as mentioned, discuss treatment if needed.
If you’re interested in a hearing test, visit your closest South Suburban Hearing Health Center to learn more about your hearing health.
The signs of hearing loss aren’t always as apparent as chronic pain or other medical issues. Much like vision loss — when a person may begin holding books closer or squinting while driving at night — the signs of hearing loss are usually subtle and gradual. They can even blend in with your life.
The Greek philosopher, Epictetus, once said “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” While it is a great lesson, it is not the real reason why we have two ears. We have two ears for the same reason we have two eyes.
Let’s start with eyes. Together, our two eyes allow us to have depth perception. This also allows us to see in 3D. Our two eyes allow us to see, with peripheral vision, about 170 degrees around us. Have you ever tried to walk with one of your eyes closed? Do you feel a little off balance? Our two eyes let us know, visually, where we are in space.Our two ears provide a similar benefit. Two ears allow us to hear in “stereo.” When we listen with two ears, we actually hear better! More importantly, they work together to tell us where a sound is coming from, and help us focus on the voice we want to hear. Our two ears tell us, sound-wise, where we are in space. This spatial awareness is sometimes referred to as “presence.”
Until recently, when we wore two hearing aids, they worked independently. This meant that each ear was treated like it was the only ear we had. There was no communication or joint effort. So, while our ears were trying to work together, the hearing aids (or the signal provided to the ear) were not.The best hearing aids today — like our line of iQ hearing aids— now have a feature called ear-to-ear functionality or binaural imaging. This allows the two hearing aids to work together, like our two ears do naturally. Why is this important? There are several reasons.
Envision yourself at a restaurant.There are people all around you talking, the wait staff is asking what you want and your friends at the table are all talking.With ear-to-ear functionality, the two hearing aids actually share information about what is going on around you. This allows the hearing aids to make an intelligent decision of what to do to keep you comfortable and help you follow the conversation!
Another perk of ear-to-ear functionality is your ability to adjust both hearing aids by touching one. If you need to change the memory or setting, you only have to touch one hearing aid. When that hearing aid changes settings, it will tell the other hearing aid to change so that your hearing aids are always in the right setting and working together!
Imagine holding the phone to one ear and hearing the call in both ears. Ear-to-ear functionality allows this as well. We know phone conversations can be difficult when you have hearing loss, particularly in a busy environment. With ear-to-ear functionality, the phone call is sent to both ears, potentially increasing your ability to follow the conversation and decrease the interference of background noise!Our two ears are designed to work together. With ear-to-ear functionality, our hearing aids can too!To learn more about how you can benefit from ear-to-ear functionality — and try a pair of our new iQ hearing aids for yourself — talk with South Suburban Hearing Health Center today about your options! Contact us here.
