Most people only think about their hearing when there is a problem. It’s not until they experience a sudden loss of hearing, or have trouble following a conversation in a noisy environment, that they realize how important their hearing is. However, the truth is that everyone should be proactive about their hearing health and schedule regular screenings. Here at Two Rivers Hearing, we want to help educate our patients and the community on the importance of regular screenings. Keep reading to learn more!
What Causes Changes in Hearing?
One of the most common reasons to get a regular hearing screening is that our hearing naturally changes as we age. Over time, the tiny hair cells in our ears that are responsible for sending sound signals to our brain break down and die. This process is gradual and happens over many years, which is why most people don’t notice a significant change in their hearing until later in life.
However, just because this is a normal part of aging doesn’t mean that you should ignore it. In fact, it’s important to pay attention to any changes in your hearing so you can catch any problems early on.
Why does hearing change with age?
As we age, our hearing changes for a few reasons:
- The tiny hair cells in our ears that are responsible for sending sound signals to our brain break down and die.
- We lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds as well as soft sounds.
- We may experience more difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments.
Some common signs that you may need a regular hearing screening include:
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy environments,
- Constantly turning up the TV or radio volume,
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves,
- Feel like everyone around you is mumbling.
Hearing loss is often gradual and can go undetected for years.
Another reason why regular hearing screenings are important is that hearing loss often happens gradually. This means that it can be hard to notice a change in your hearing unless you’re paying close attention.
What’s more, even if you do notice a change in your hearing, it can be easy to write it off as something that’s not a big deal. After all, what’s a little trouble hearing when you’re surrounded by noise all the time anyway?
The problem is that hearing loss can have a significant impact on your quality of life. For example, it can make it harder to follow conversations, enjoy music and stay connected with loved ones.
Detect Problems Early
The good news is that a regular hearing screening can help detect any potential problems with your hearing before they become worse. This means that you can get the treatment and support you need to improve your quality of life.
Potential problems can include the following:
- Hearing loss that is gradual and progressive
- Sudden hearing loss
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Continue to Maintain Hearing Health
The bottom line is that a regular hearing screening is the best way to maintain your hearing health. It’s important to get screened on a regular basis so any problems can be detected and treated as soon as possible.
How to maintain your ears’ health:
If you want to take good care of your ears, here are a few tips:
- Avoid loud noises: This is probably the easiest way to protect your ears from long-term damage. If you can’t avoid loud noise, try to wear earplugs or headphones to muffle the sound.
- Stay connected with loved ones: Conversations are an important part of staying social and connected with friends and family. If you’re having trouble following conversations, ask people to speak up or move closer to you.
- Get regular hearing screenings: As we mentioned before, getting screened on a regular basis is the best way to maintain your hearing health.
Talk to your doctor about any changes in your hearing. If you notice a sudden change in your hearing, or if you’re having trouble following conversations, make an appointment with your doctor. They can help determine if there’s a problem and offer treatment options.
Establish a Baseline and Track Hearing Health
If you have a regular hearing test, you can track your ears’ progress and act on it. As a result, you can get a better sense of how your hearing is changing over time and what, if anything, you need to do about it. For example, if you notice that your hearing is getting worse, you may want to talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Regular hearing screenings are essential for many reasons. If you have any questions about hearing loss or how to take care of your ears, we encourage you to call us at (321) 499-2488 and speak with one of our audiologists. We would be happy to answer any of your questions!
