When was the last time you visited an audiologist to have your hearing tested? According to professionals, people should visit an audiologist every three to five years to assess their general quality of hearing and take measures to protect their future health. Here is why healthy hearing matters.
1. Better Overall Health
The hearing system is linked to the brain and a surprising number of other health conditions. If you experience hearing loss due to aging, noise in the environment, a genetic condition, or something else, there is a chance you will experience other health conditions as well. Hearing loss has been linked to cognitive decline, depression, anxiety and some heart conditions.
Whether you have some hearing loss or you want to check your health, it’s a good idea to visit an audiologist regularly for checks. It’s recommended that people visit an audiologist every three to five years for a check-up; this helps to prevent long-term hearing loss and supports better overall health. Avoid the onset of other health conditions with early treatment of hearing loss.
2. Improved Communication in Relationships
People who experience hearing loss might struggle to maintain the quality of their relationships, that’s because they might become negatively perceived thanks due to their inability to take part in conversations. Hearing impairment can cause someone to withdraw socially and avoid speaking to people in person or on the phone. Avoid this by visiting an audiologist right away.
Withdrawing from society can be detrimental to someone’s mental health and life quality, especially if they are the social type but feel embarrassed by their inability to engage properly with their friends and relatives. On the other hand, diagnosis of hearing loss helps people to integrate better, and the use of a hearing device improves relationships and general life quality.
3. More Knowledge
If you don’t know much about the quality of your hearing, it can be hard to make the right lifestyle choices. Let’s say you live in an urban setting and are regularly exposed to noise above 70dBs, or you work in a loud environment. A hearing test can reveal any damage caused by these lifestyle habits helping you make progressive decisions for your overall health.
The alternative is to continue living without any health knowledge leading to further damage and a faster decline in hearing capacity. Audiologists suggest that people should visit them every three to five years, but of course, this becomes more frequent for people over 50 who can expect their hearing to start declining more quickly. More knowledge allows for better decisions to your overall well-being.
4. Other Conditions
Often, hearing loss is caused by issues in the inner ear; it could be a build-up of earwax, damage to the cilia hairs in the cochlea or an issue with the eardrum; other times, hearing loss is the symptom rather than the cause. Hearing loss can occur if there is an underlying condition such as diabetes, congenital conditions, tumors and more.
If you have symptoms of hearing loss, it could be a sign of another condition and shouldn’t be ignored. Whether the hearing loss is mild or severe, you need to visit an audiologist as soon as possible if it is a new occurrence. An audiologist will run a series of tests to determine whether the hearing loss is located in the ear or is the result of something else.
5. Protect Your Hearing
Treating hearing loss early can protect your hearing for longer. When left untreated, hearing loss can deteriorate consistently over time, causing issues to worsen and lead to a lower quality of life. Additionally, hearing loss causes the brain to atrophy when the relevant regions of the brain are not stimulated. Hearing treatment, like a hearing device, can protect your brain well into old age.
It can be difficult to face up to changes in your hearing and visit an audiologist, but routine visits to an audiologist are the best way to guarantee better hearing and better health as you get older. When you ignore hearing issues, it can lead to social issues and affect your livelihood as well, so protect your hearing and your quality of life with regular visits to your audiologist’s office.
Many people don’t like to admit their hearing has been damaged due to lifestyle choices, age or an underlying health condition, but doing so can improve their quality of life and protect their quality of hearing for longer. Protecting your hearing matters and early testing can help to protect your health, relationships, livelihood and quality of life today and in your later years. Learn more about hearing testing options at Natural Hearing Centers by calling (888) 221-9156.
