New Year's Resolution Get Your Hearing Tested

New Year’s Resolution: Get Your Hearing Tested

In Hearing Health, Hearing Testing by Bary E. Williams Au.D.

Have you been struggling to follow conversations and hear clearly? Hearing loss affects roughly 40 million Americans of all ages. Whether you lost your hearing from exposure to dangerously loud noises, from an illness or injury, or due to wear and tear on your ears throughout life, treating your hearing loss is vital to your health and wellbeing in the year to come. Make a New Years resolution that will change your life, and get your hearing tested.

My Hearing Loss Isn’t Too Bad

Did you notice changes in your hearing several years ago, but never seemed to get around to taking a hearing test? Sadly, most Americans with hearing loss will wait up to 7 years before testing their hearing! You may think your hearing loss isn’t too bad, but that’s just an illusion. Your brain works hard to help you hear, and as your hearing gradually changes, your brain makes accommodations to how you hear so you barely notice your hearing change. In fact, you might not even be the first person to notice your hearing loss, and your family may start complaining that you can’t follow conversations, or that you’ve been turning up the TV volume far too loud.

Losing Your Hearing

If you’ve been putting off getting a hearing test, you’re risking far greater losses to your hearing. Your brain is struggling to help you hear, but when damaged cells in your ear stop sending information about the sounds around you, your brain slowly loses the ability to interpret these sounds. Even when you treat your hearing loss, and help your ear hear the missing sounds, your brain can no longer make sense of them, and you won’t regain a clear understanding of the sounds around you.

Treating Hearing Loss Early

Still on the fence about treating your hearing loss? If you’ve been living with untreated hearing loss, you’ve probably found yourself struggling to follow conversations, or catch yourself simply nodding along even though you can’t understand what’s been said. You may start to feel social anxiety, and worry about what your friends think of you. Many of those with hearing loss stop going to social events as it becomes impossible to hear what’s been said, even if people repeat themselves three times over. You worry what your friends will think if you mishear something they’ve said, and you may start to feel socially isolated, lonely, or even depressed.

The best thing you can do for your ears and your brain is to treat your hearing loss early! As soon as you notice changes in your hearing health, schedule a hearing test, and find out what you can do to keep your hearing intact.

Benefits of Treating Hearing Loss

Treating hearing loss early will help you maintain an active social life and invest time in the people you care about the most. You’ll easily hear the voices of your grandkids, follow conversations in crowded restaurants, and hear the singing of birds. Treating hearing loss is imperative to your mental and social health, and treating hearing loss will help you live a happy and fulfilled life.

Not only is hearing important for your mental health, your physical health also suffers when you live with untreated hearing loss. Hearing clearly gives you a clear picture of the world around you, and if you’re not hearing clearly, the world can seem like a dangerous place. You’ll be startled by the sound of someone overtaking you on your afternoon walk, or fail to hear a warning honk from a car coming towards you. Those with hearing loss have reduced mobility and a greater risk of a fall or injury. Hearing loss also leads to difficulty concentrating, excessive fatigue, stress, and headaches. If you have hearing loss, you’re also at a higher risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Exceptional Hearing Care

This year, resolve to do the right thing for your health and wellbeing, and get your hearing tested! You can enjoy easy hearing in challenging situations, and hear every word. Whether you need help hearing in the comfort of your living room, or want a device that will help you hear when you’re out with friends at your favorite restaurant, trust the hearing health professionals at Exceptional Hearing Care. Our comprehensive hearing test will tell you everything you need to know about your hearing health, and you can have a wonderful year with great hearing.

Bary E. Williams Au.D.
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