Hello, my name is Dr. Ashley Thom, and I am the Audiologist at Selective Hearing. Today, I want to talk to you about the reasons why you need to get a hearing test as soon as possible if you suspect you might have a hearing loss.
More than an inconvenience
When you first begin to lose a bit of clarity or volume in relation to the sounds in your world, you might not think much of it. Slight hearing loss might be a minor inconvenience, but so is getting older in general, right? I understand this perspective and certainly have things in my life that I have learned to accept rather than get things sorted.
With hearing loss, the situation is a little different. Leaving things as they are often leads to further complications related to your hearing or other aspects of your health. It can also have a significantly negative impact on the relationships in your life. It’s also easy to address with a hearing test and subsequent support based on the results.
You are not alone
It is likely that you will have some level of hearing loss at some point during your life. Hearing loss affects 20-40% of adults over 50. This figure rises to about 80% once you reach the age of 80 or more. This means that hearing loss is normal. However, a rapid decline is not inevitable. Getting checked out earlier in life means you get support from the very beginning of any hearing issues. Once you start using a hearing aid and following simple guidelines to protect your ears, you start experiencing a better quality of life. I see these kinds of improvement more often in patients that seek help sooner rather than later.
Your loved ones will thank you
Health problems usually impact more than the person with the issue. This is particularly true when it comes to hearing problems. If we pick things up early enough, your loved ones can be there to support you while you adapt to any new equipment you need to protect your hearing. You are welcome to bring your loved ones along to any appointment that you have. If you leave things too late, you may already have a sense of distance from your loved one, family, or friends that wasn’t there before. This means you have to re-establish relationships as well as deal with your hearing issues.
Your invitation to better hearing health
On March 3rd, we mark World Hearing Day, which promotes an emphasis on hearing health and provides an opportunity to discuss issues such as the importance of early detection of hearing loss in older adults. Come on down and visit my office’s in Crowley & Lafeyette and we’ll get your hearing tested. You can get me at 337-291-9939, or visit our website to book your appointment.
