Welcome to the New Year, and best wishes to you and your loved ones! This new year heralds a new decade as well, and we are left open to making better decisions, reinforcing and sustaining our commitment to a healthier life and smarter life style practices!
How can we make 2020 a positive and fulfilling year for ourselves? Suffice to say many of us put our health on the top of the list, and rightly so! Our sense of hearing should also take priority and become a part of our overall plan for fitness and strength. It is the sense that alerts us to err on the side of caution in traffic, to the voice of a loved and to the pleasures of music! Let’s give it the attention it deserves.
The importance of hearing and preserving our natural hearing process has become a national concern. The bad news is that hearing impairment is on the rise and has become a public health crisis. The good news is that there is a push to educate, inform and also negate the stereotypes of hearing loss. Technology and greater access to resources has also helped us understand and strengthen our need to maintain our hearing health as a priority for ourselves and those we love.
The first step toward better hearing health
Start making the list and put down a screening for your hearing as the first item! Hearing screens consist of a fast, non-intrusive “tone-test” and quickly qualifies or disqualifies your need for a comprehensive auditory exam.
Why is it necessary?
Changes can occur quite gradually and unnoticeably when it comes to your hearing process. If we begin to notice that our hearing has been negatively impacted it can also, unfortunately, be a sign that we have waited too long. Hence, early detection is tantamount to protecting your hearing health. Noise pollution has had a detrimental effect world-wide and you don’t have to live in an overcrowded city to be exposed to it. Curious to know which noise levels are bad for us? Check out the infographics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/infographic/
Cognitive function
Most people might remain unaware about the symbiotic relationship between the proper functioning of the ear, the sounds it carries and its interpretation by the brain. It is a complex relationship creating the foundation largely based upon the strength of the hearing process.
From the ear to the brain since the time of birth, pathways are created and upon those, we are able to identify and interpret sound.
Hearing a bell or buzzer lets us know when a class is ending or if someone is at the door; or whether a person is yelling with excitement or urging caution. These distinctions are extremely simple examples of many intricate networks of sound that we collect and draw upon.
What we also know for certain, is that if any point along the hearing process there is damage, it impairs the intricate networks we have formed and use for making decisions and communicating.
Symptoms of hearing decline
The insidious nature of hearing loss is that it can be quite gradual and seem like minor inconveniences in the beginning.
- Difficulty or extreme strain keeping up with conversations (heightened when there is a noisy background).
- Distortion or muffled sounding speech reception with difficulty differentiating consonant sounds.
- Difficulty with sounds of a high-pitched nature.
- Increased use of volume such as the TV to the detriment of others.
- Withdrawal from your regular social and familial gatherings.
Hearing Tests
After the hearing screen, if there is cause of concern, the next step is to schedule a hearing test with us at Absolute Audio. Hearing tests are important, as they give us an understanding of not just what but also how you hear. This why comprehensive tests and a program suited to your specific needs will be on our agenda. We are also one of your best resources for education, financial guidance and explanations as to how your new path to better hearing will be achieved.
An open and honest line of communication, regarding your lifestyle activities, with your hearing health professional will allow them to serve you best!
What do you have to gain?
Often those closest to us will notice hearing decline in our behavior. Voice your concerns to those close to you and you might find a strong source of support. At Absolute Audio, we encourage you or a loved to give us a call. Create stronger relationships with your friends and family and with your hearing health professional. We are here to answer any questions you might have. Usher in the New Year with your renewed commitment to health and hearing and we look forward to seeing you soon.