Most people who have hearing loss aren’t born with it. Instead, hearing loss creeps up on us over time, usually caused by exposure to loud noises, aging, or some combination of the two.
And unlike vision impairment — which we fix as soon as it becomes a problem — too often we push off treating hearing loss. One obvious factor is the impact of each impairment. Driving, reading, watching TV and working at a computer are difficult when our vision is compromised. But we can cope with or work around hearing issues — at least in the short term.
Eventually, hearing loss starts to affect our lives and either we decide or someone strongly suggests that we look into it. This is when the hearing journey officially begins.
If you show one or more of these signs, you should get your hearing tested:
You can test your hearing by using our free online hearing test. Better yet, schedule a comprehensive audiological examination with us — to get a precise and accurate measurement of your hearing.
If it turns out you have hearing loss, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the United States, and is more prevalent than diabetes or cancer1. Millions of people have hearing loss, including:
Half of US adult 60 and older2
Two-thirds of adults over 703
Four of five people 85+4
Many people ignore hearing loss because they think they can live with it or the consequences aren’t that bad. But years of research show otherwise. Untreated hearing loss has been proven to impact our physical and mental health and, ultimately, our quality of life.
The growing list of issues linked to hearing loss include:
Don’t wait until hearing loss leads to bigger, irreversible issues. Treat it as soon as possible. Start treatment by making an appointment with us. We have the experience and equipment needed to perform a thorough and proper audiological evaluation, then can prescribe the solution and treatment protocol that best achieves your unique needs.
"If you want to address hearing loss well, do it sooner rather than later … before brain structural changes take place."
Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Medicine
We hear all the time from the people who we help that they “wish they had done this sooner!” and we’re confident you’ll feel the same way.
The simple step of treating you hearing loss can make you more connected and informed, safe and engaged, confident and independent. It enhances your relationships with friends and family, helps ensure you never miss out on important moments again, and makes listening to music, watching TV and nature, activities and events more enjoyable and immersive.
Simply put, it changes people’s lives — and it can change yours, too!
1 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6515a2.htm
2 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2714050
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3869227/
4 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2552989