Take Action

Use it or lose it

The sooner you take action, the sooner you put a stop to the negative effects of hearing loss, and the sooner you begin to regain sharpness, confidence and control.

You wouldn’t put off getting glasses if you were having trouble seeing. Hearing loss is not something you should just “put up with.” On average, people tend to wait five to seven years between first experiencing hearing loss symptoms and actually seeking help. Research shows there are good reasons to begin hearing loss treatment sooner rather than later.

Early intervention prevents your brain from forgetting what to do.

  • Over time, reduced stimulation to your ears and brain can actually impair the brain’s ability to process sound and recognize speech. Once speech recognition deteriorates, it is only partially recoverable when hearing aids are in place.

Early intervention slows cognitive decline and communication problems.

  • When you can’t hear what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness and communication abilities suffer.

Early intervention improves the use of hearing aids themselves.

  • The earlier people begin to use hearing aids, the more comfortable they are with them, and the easier it is to learn to use them to greatest advantage. If your world has been mostly silent, it can take longer to adapt to once again hearing all the little environmental sounds like fans, airplanes and footsteps.

Top 10 Reasons for Early Treatment:

  1. Ability to hear more and better; maintained ability to recognize speech
  2. Better interpersonal relationships and less negative, dysfunctional communication
  3. Reduced depression, anxiety, and emotional instability
  4. Fewer instances of confusion and disorientation
  5. Increased ability to concentrate and multitask
  6. Better memory skills and greater ability to learn new material
  7. Increased sense of being alert and aware of personal safety
  8. Greater earning power
  9. Feeling of being more in control of things
  10. Feeling of being less discriminated against

(information sourced from Hearing-Aid.com)

Protect yourself

Hearing loss is a gradual and normal part of the aging process. However, excessive noise is still the primary cause. Permanent hearing loss can occur almost instantly with unprotected exposure to certain sounds. 

To protect yourself from noise:

  • If the sound level at work exceeds 85 dB, reduce the noise level or wear hearing protection.
  • Lower the volume of your television or stereo. Take special care if you use headphones or earbuds.
  • Be careful not to turn up your car stereo volume too loudly to compensate for engine or wind noise.
  • Wear custom noise filters or earplugs if you go to loud concerts or nightclubs, and don’t stand near speakers.
  • Wear noise-cancelling headphones or solid earplugs if you use noisy equipment.

To avoid damage from foreign objects:

  • Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears. Doing so may push wax down onto your eardrum and can increase the production of wax and/or damage the eardrum.
  • Avoid washing with unclean water to prevent ear infections.

What are decibels?

  • Decibels (dB) measure the intensity of sound: from 0 dB, which is the faintest sound the human ear can detect, to the noise of a rocket during launch, which can exceed 180 dB.
  • Experts typically consider exposure to more than 85 dB to be dangerous, which means things like motorcycles, headphones, and lawnmowers have potential to lead to permanent hearing loss.

Click here to learn about our SoundGear hearing protection products. 

The time is now

Better hearing = better living! Don’t put up with hearing loss another day. While it may seem insignificant now, it’s impacting more than you think: 

Your family:

  • The frustration and sadness of seeing you isolate yourself from the people and activities you love, your family suffers from your hearing loss also.

Your safety:

  • A car horn. An ambulance siren. The fire alarm. Hearing loss can cause you to miss important signals that alert you to danger — and put those you care about at risk.

Your happiness:

  • What things aren’t you doing, enjoying or experiencing because you can’t hear to your full potential? Hearing loss isn’t just a nuisance — it’s a quality of life issue.

Your work:

  • If you’re missing important information on phone calls or in meetings, you may be missing opportunities to grow and increase your value to employers.

If you’re ready to take the next step, or if you just have questions, please feel free to contact us today.


Help a Loved One

You can make a difference

Hearing loss doesn’t just affect the person who has it. It also affects spouses, family members, and friends.

Physically, the inability to hear warning sounds or the voices of dependents could potentially put lives in danger. Even emotionally, the impact can resonate throughout family and social circles — from frustration with repeating things over and over, to sadness at seeing a loved one isolate themselves from the people and activities they enjoy.

Convincing someone to seek help for hearing loss is the right thing to do, but is not always easy.

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What you can do

  • Talk to your loved one about their hearing concerns.
  • Gently remind them of their hearing loss every time you “translate” or repeat something for them.
  • Encourage them to visit one of our offices to do more research and get their questions answered.
  • Offer to schedule and attend a hearing consultation with them.
  • Remind them they have nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain by seeing one of our specialists.