Recent studies have shown that hearing loss directly impacts the quality of your life and your hearing health. When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to increased anxiety, depression, loneliness, and social disorders.
Even mild hearing loss cases can have a significant impact on mental health, relationships, work productivity, and earning power. In addition, it can also increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Hearing loss can occur at any age, but the majority of hearing loss is found in adults over the age of 50 because aging is a common underlying cause.
Getting Help Matters
Many people ignore hearing loss, accepting it as part of "growing old." But ignoring hearing loss is dangerous since it only gets worse over time. As many as 86% of people with hearing loss fail to seek help. Early detection and treatment go a long way to preserve your hearing. That's why medical professionals agree that adults over the age of 50 should schedule an annual hearing evaluation as part of their routine wellness care.
The good news? Those who address their hearing loss can take advantage of today’s advanced hearing aids to lead healthier lives. They are much less likely to feel depressed, isolated, or experience cognitive decline. In 2015, a French scientific study found that hearing aids helped individuals with hearing loss stay mentally fit!
Recognize the symptoms of hearing loss so you can identify if you are having a problem and seek a hearing test:
- You have trouble hearing over the telephone
- It's challenging to follow a conversation when two or more people are talking
- There’s ringing in your ears
- People complain that you turn the TV or radio volume up too high
- You have to strain to understand a conversation
- You have trouble hearing in noisy places like restaurants
- You consistently ask people to repeat themselves
- Many people you talk to seem to mumble or not speak clearly
- You misunderstand what others are saying and respond in a way that may embarrass you
If you are experiencing any of the above warning signs of hearing loss, call Beltone today and schedule a comprehensive hearing test. Your hearing loss may be caused by excessive earwax, and we will be the first to let you know if you do not need hearing help. If you are experiencing hearing loss, our hearing care professionals will guide you through your options and help you select the best hearing devices for your hearing needs.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that roughly 48 million adults in the U.S. have some level of hearing loss, ranging from mild cases that occur over time to sudden hearing loss. As we grow older, hearing loss becomes more prevalent, affecting about 8.5 percent of people between the ages of 55 and 64 years, as many as 25 percent of those between 65 and 74 years of age, and about half of men and women age 75 years and older.
Conductive hearing loss is typically temporary and caused by something interfering with the passage of sound into the ear. Common causes include ear infections, earwax, or a punctured eardrum. Most cases of conductive hearing loss can be treated with medicine or surgery to correct the situation.
Accounting for approximately 90% of hearing problems in adults, this is the most common type of hearing loss. It’s caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot usually be treated with medicine or surgery - once the damage is done, it’s done. However, it can be effectively treated and managed with hearing aids.
Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by:
- Aging
- Illness
- Ototoxic drugs
- Hereditary hearing loss
- Head trauma
- Malformation of the inner ear
- Exposure to loud noise
- People who struggle with sensorineural hearing loss have problems hearing sounds at different volumes as well as difficulty differentiating sounds.
You should schedule a hearing test with us at the first signs of hearing loss. Adults 50+ should have an annual hearing exam as part of their routine wellness care.
While there are many symptoms that are associated with the different types of hearing loss, some of the most common signs of hearing loss include:
- Difficulties following conversations in public
- Struggling to hear conversations over the phone
- Needing to turn up the TV, radio, or computer more than you used to
- Asking people to repeat what they say often
- Ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises in one or both ears regularly
- Thinking people are mumbling or whispering often when others say they aren’t
Your local Beltone hearing professional will start with some questions about your lifestyle, hearing health, and hearing needs. Then you will go through a painless hearing test that will include a video ear exam and audiometric testing to accurately understand your hearing loss and what options are best for you going forward.
Only a hearing test administered by a professional can begin to answer this but if you suffer from some or all of the signs of hearing loss above, you are probably a good candidate. Many patients also ask if they need two Hearing Aids, because gradual hearing loss typically occurs in both ears, most professionals agree that it is in your best interest to fit both ears with hearing instruments. Wearing hearing aids in both ears helps restore the way your ears naturally work together to process sound.
Beltone offers a variety of payment plans ranging from six months to five years that allow Beltone hearing aids to fit within your budget. We have financing experts that work with insurance companies and discount programs to help make your treatment as affordable as possible.
Beltone’s newest digital hearing aids use advanced technology to provide users with a hearing experience that is personalized and natural. Digital hearing aids convert external sound waves into signals that are then adjusted, balanced and delivered into your ear based on your hearing needs to amplify the sounds that are most important while maintaining a clearer experience than analog hearing aids.
Know where your hearing health stands by scheduling a free hearing screening at Beltone Skoric Hearing Aid Center. Beltone digital hearing aids can improve your hearing and quality of life, should the hearing loss be found. Give our staff a call at (888) 417-2130 or contact us through our online form to find out more about hearing health.
