The Key to Connectedness
Helen Keller once said, “Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.” She was right then and she’s still right today. Hearing connects us to friends and loved ones, helps keep us engaged, and brings the world around us to life.
Losing our hearing can deprive us of these connections, make us feel isolated and alone, and prevent us from living the rich and full life we deserve.
If staying connected, not missing out, and living your best life is important to you, you’ve come to the right place.
The Hearing Journey — Five Steps to Better Hearing
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.
Step 1: Test your Hearing
If you show one or more of these signs, you should get your hearing tested:
- Being told by others that you have hearing loss
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
- Turning the TV to a volume others find loud
- Having trouble understanding conversations in noisy places
- Difficulty hearing women and children’s voices
- Feeling like others are mumbling
- Avoiding social situations that were once enjoyable
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.
Step 2: Join the Club
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
Step 3: Know the Effects of Hearing Loss
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:
- Relationship issues
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Social isolation
- Depression
- Cognitive decline and dementia
- And more
Step 4: Seek Hearing Loss Treatment
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
Step 5: Hear Better!
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