Better Hearing Month
Are you taking care of your hearing health? May is Better Hearing Health Month, and we could not think of a better time to talk about hearing health and how to make sure you and your loved ones are hearing to your/their potential.
Did you know that about 48 million Americans have hearing loss? Across all age groups, hearing impairments are widespread. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about 2-3 of every 1,000 children born in the U.S. have some hearing loss. About 15% of American adults (18 and older) have reported hearing problems. Despite these numbers, the stigma around hearing loss continues to deter people from seeking help when they have changes in hearing. We can work together to break this stigma by talking about hearing health and normalizing hearing screenings, seeking treatment, taking control of our hearing loss, and being open about our own hearing loss experiences with family and friends.
While hearing loss is often not reversible, it is frequently preventable and manageable.
Get regular hearing screenings: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends healthy adults under 50 get their hearing checked every ten years and adults 50 and older get their hearing checked every three years.
Act of persistent changes in hearing: If you have experienced any sudden hearing changes, it is imperative to check with your medical provider or audiologist immediately.
Hearing Loss Prevention: Not all hearing loss/impairments are preventable, but you can help reduce your risk of certain factors through these practices.
Healthy Lifestyle: Certain health conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, have been linked to hearing loss. So, a healthy lifestyle with a balanced and nutritious diet and plenty of exercise can help prevent these conditions and the correlating hearing loss.
Ear Protection: Noise-induced hearing loss is a common illness in today’s world. Luckily, you can take steps to protect your ears from such occurrences, including wearing earplugs at loud concerts, when operating noisy machinery like lawnmowers, etc. Learn more about protecting your ears here.
Are you due for a hearing screening? If you are a new patient, fill out our request an appointment form. If you are a returning patient, contact our Roanoke or Crozet office. Interested in learning more about hearing health? Check out our other blog posts and follow our Roanoke and Crozet Facebook pages!
