Maintaining strong hearing is key for staying connected with your surroundings and loved ones. Consider how you prioritize your hearing health and what you can do to implement hearing health maintenance as part of your healthcare routine.
Why You Should Prioritize Hearing Tests
Hearing loss can develop slowly, making it easy to miss early warning signs. Scheduling routine hearing exams helps detect issues early, offering major benefits such as:
- Early detection: Identifying hearing loss before it worsens allows for more effective treatment.
- Better communication: Strong hearing health improves interactions, whether you’re catching up with friends over brunch at Wild Eggs or enjoying a game at the KFC Yum! Center.
- Cognitive health: A 2013 study of 1,984 older adults enrolled in the Health ABC (Health, Aging and Body Composition) Study found that individuals with hearing loss had an increased risk of cognitive decline compared to those with normal hearing.
- Enhanced safety: Good hearing is crucial for detecting alarms, approaching vehicles, and other important sounds in everyday situations.
Who Should Get Their Hearing Checked?
Hearing tests aren’t just for older adults. People of all ages can benefit from regular screenings. You should consider a hearing exam if you:
- Frequently ask others to repeat themselves
- Struggle to follow conversations in noisy settings like a crowded bar on Whiskey Row
- Experience ringing or buzzing in your ears
- Have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds
- Have been exposed to loud environments
- Take medications known to affect hearing
How Often Should You Get Tested?
- Adults under 50: with no symptoms: every 3 – 5 years
- Adults over 50: every 1 – 2 years
- Babies: screened by one month old
- Children: tested immediately if hearing loss is suspected
Making hearing checks a part of your routine can help detect potential issues before they impact your quality of life.
If you want to learn more about hearing health or schedule a hearing test, contact Heuser Hearing Institute today.