It can be easy to let a hearing assessment fall lower on your to-do list. It’s also likely not the first thing you think of when it comes to checking up on your health. However, hearing assessments are a very important part of making sure you can live a long and fulfilling life. Adult hearing assessments can flag any hearing problems before they progress, and your Doctor of Audiology can help you explore your treatment options with a personalized approach. Here are 5 benefits to adult hearing assessments and why you should add one to your schedule.

Untreated Hearing Loss Is Linked to Memory Loss

Research has found that untreated hearing loss makes you at least 200% more likely to develop dementia and cognitive issues. Hearing loss may affect the structure of your brain in a way that contributes to cognitive problems. Brain imaging studies show that older adults with hearing loss have less grey matter in the part of their brain that receives, and processes sound from your ears.  That’s because certain structures of brain cells can shrink when they don’t get enough stimulation. This lack of stimulation due to hearing loss has been linked to memory loss.

Hearing Loss Increases Your Risk of Falling

Untreated hearing loss puts you at a three-fold risk of falling.  In the ear, balance and hearing are directly connected. What you hear, and don’t hear directly affects your balance and when you have hearing loss, you are more likely to fall and get hurt.

You Can Flag Other Health Issues

Hearing loss can sometimes be a symptom of other health issues, and your Doctor of Audiology might be able to identify more serious health concerns like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease. Additionally, hearing loss tends to occur simultaneously with mood disorders like depression or conditions like dementia. Knowing this can allow you to seek the treatment you need for other health concerns.

Your Relationships Will Improve

Hearing loss can make social situations even more difficult to navigate. If you can’t hear well because of background noise, it can be difficult to keep up with conversations. This can sometimes give the impression that you’re aloof, standoffish, or not paying attention. By treating your hearing loss, you can more easily form relationships and maintain the ones you already have.

You Can Hear Your Favorite Sounds Again

You might be surprised to learn that not hearing the little things can directly impact your day-to-day wellness. Hearing loss can take away whole ranges of sounds, so you may no longer be able to hear things like your favorite clock ticking, the birds outside, or your grandkids’ laughter. Hearing these sounds again can transform your outlook and help lift your mood over time.

Schedule an Appointment

At Hearing Doctors of New Jersey, we can perform a comprehensive hearing assessment using our proprietary H.E.A.R. Method^TM to help you live your best, most healthy life. To meet with our Doctors of Audiology, schedule an appointment by calling our Livingston office or filling out our online contact form.

To learn more about hearing loss and hearing aids, download our FREE Insider’s Guide on how to finally hear better.

1. You are afraid/embarrassed/see it as a sign of aging

Fear is the #1 reason most people avoid treating their hearing loss. Often, people will deny themselves medical treatment of their hearing for fear of being seen as ‘old’ by others. Trust me when I say this – not treating your hearing loss, not being part of the conversation, always saying ‘what’ and ‘huh’ when others speak – that makes you look old!

2. You are afraid it is going to cost too much

New treatment options for addressing hearing, tinnitus, and associated cognitive decline are now more affordable than ever. Our practice offers payment plan options which makes the treatment you need affordable.

3. You are afraid it is going to take too long/miss too much work

Modern technology and telehealth allow us to work around your schedule AND be efficient with your time. Our modern technology allows for an efficient diagnostic and treatment process to make the most of your time in the office.

4. You don’t see the need to act now

Untreated and undertreated hearing loss (i.e.., people who use poorly fit traditional hearing aids or over-the-counter hearing aids) can significantly decrease their quality of life and increase their risk of dementia, falls, isolation, and premature death. In fact, not properly addressing your hearing loss and tinnitus can lead to a loss of independence. If you have early signs of hearing loss and tinnitus you need to act, NOW.

5. You know someone who got hearing aids in the past and it didn’t work

Let’s face it, not all hearing healthcare providers are created equal. That’s why I developed a proprietary H.E.A.R. MethodTM which takes the guesswork out of figuring out what is the best hearing aid for you. I do this by testing your hearing and evaluating which hearing aid will help you hear the most clearly in background noise.

Schedule An Appointment

What’s your excuse? Get help now. The team at Hearing Doctors of New Jersey takes a holistic approach to hearing healthcare. It’s not about selling you a solution, or making you feel like a number. Our Doctors of Audiology practice the H.E.A.R. Method, which assesses your hearing and cognitive health to ensure you never miss another word – guaranteed.

To learn more about hearing loss and hearing aids, download our FREE Insider’s Guide on how to finally hear better.

Rock concerts and jet engines may be the most well-known measurements for sound levels that can damage hearing, but they’re by no means the only loud noises a person could encounter that lead to hearing loss. Everything from lawnmowers and chainsaws to headphones and sporting events can harm your hearing, and when your hearing goes, it goes for good.

Take action to protect your hearing health using these easy, actionable steps that many people may not know about.

1. Use Earplugs or Headphones Around Loud Noises

Many Americans have unavoidably loud workplaces or hobbies, such as people in manufacturing facilities or those who can’t get enough of live concerts. A rule of thumb you can use to find out if you’re in an overly loud environment is if you have to shout to be heard by the person next to you, you’re probably in a dangerous sound environment. In circumstances like these, a simple way to protect your hearing is to physically block the noise from damaging the delicate structures in your inner ear.

Earplugs are a convenient and widely available solution that can help protect your hearing. There are even custom pairs you can have fitted by our Doctor of Audiology, Dr. Rhee Nesson. Some musicians use specialty earplugs that have filters that allow people to still hear conversations and music clearly while reducing loud sounds’ impact on hearing health.

2. Lower The Volume

The people at risk of hearing loss aren’t just the elderly people normally associated with hearing aids. In fact, it’s estimated that millions of young adults and teenagers are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss due to how they use their headphones and other audio devices. Listening to music at loud volumes for long stretches at a time, whether through earbuds or speakers, can damage your hearing at a young age.

It’s recommended to only listen to music at no more than 60% volume for 60 minutes at a time, taking long breaks in between.

3. Don’t Use Q-Tips

Medical doctors and Audiologists have recommended for years to avoid using Q-Tips to clean out their ear canals. There is no medical reason to do so, as the ears naturally produce earwax to both protect the inner ear from dust and other particles, as well as to clean out the ear canal automatically.

Many people do suffer from excess earwax, but there are other, safer solutions to getting rid of it besides using Q-Tips. Ear wax removal fluids are readily available at the drug store to help soften earwax and let it flow out of the ear on its own. You can also gently clean just inside the canal with a soft, damp towel if needed.

4. Take Time to Recover From Loud Noises

If you know you’ve been exposed to hearing-damaging noise levels, don’t panic that you’re going to lose your hearing. Taking just a few minutes to step away from crowded, noisy bars or events throughout your time there lets your ears rest, helping to avoid doing long-term damage. In addition, after a loud night, research shows that your ears need about 16 hours of quiet to recover to their former function.

5. Keep Ears Dry

Moisture buildup in the ear canal can quickly lead to infection, as frequent swimmers could tell you. Aptly named Swimmer’s Ear and other infections can not only cause discomfort and a feeling of fullness but also damage hearing if not addressed. Fortunately, custom-fit earplugs known as swimmers’ earplugs are highly effective at blocking any water from entering the ear.

6. Manage Stress

A surprising culprit of some hearing conditions, such as tinnitus, is high levels of stress. Stress sends your body into so-called “fight or flight” mode, flooding the bloodstream with adrenaline to help you either fight or run away from a perceived threat. This activation affects everything from your nerves to body heat, and can even cause problems in the inner ear. If you have permanent or temporary tinnitus or ringing in the ears, it could be caused by high stress levels.

7. Stay Active

Exercise has a host of benefits for the body beyond simply building muscle or endurance. Studies have shown it’s also good for mental health, longevity, and, you guessed it, hearing. By encouraging healthy blood flow to all the parts of the body, you can help your ears get the nutrients and resources they need to stay healthy.

8. Get Regular Checkups

Your primary care physician can incorporate quick, simple hearing screenings into your regular physicals if desired, but it’s also important to get regular comprehensive hearing exams with a licensed professional, especially for people at a higher risk for hearing loss. This is because hearing loss develops gradually and is often left undiagnosed until it’s progressed far enough to disrupt a person’s lifestyle. Regular hearing checkups help ensure that we detect any hearing loss early, providing simple, personalized solutions that are right for your habits and budget.

Schedule A Hearing Checkup Today

Did you know that only 1 in 5 people who would benefit from a hearing solution like hearing aids actually uses one? This gap is troubling, especially considering factors such as the fact that hearing loss is demonstrably linked to increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline when not treated.

To find out if you are suffering from some degree of hearing loss, make the commitment of scheduling an appointment with the Hearing Doctors of New Jersey today. Get started by calling our office or contacting us online today.

To learn more about hearing loss and hearing aids, download our FREE Insider’s Guide on how to finally hear better.