May is Better Hearing & Speech Month and the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is urging those who think they have hearing loss to get a hearing test and treat it. It can open up a whole new way of looking at life.
Research has long shown that addressing hearing loss is one of the best things you can do to improve your quality of life. According to new research from BHI, people with hearing loss who use hearing aids are more likely to be optimistic, tackle problems actively, have a strong social network, and feel engaged in life.
Fortunately, for the vast majority of people with hearing loss, hearing aids can help. Hearing aid technology and design have undergone a sweeping transformation over the past several years, taking off in terms of what they can offer youthful-minded people eager to stay active and engaged.
Six Compelling Reasons to Upgrade Your Thinking on Hearing Aids
- Addressing hearing health may help protect cognitive function. A new study from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University found that hearing aids may slow cognitive decline tied to hearing loss, according to Reuters. The study found that estimated 20-year rates of decline in memory and global function were greatest in participants who did not use a hearing aid. Earlier studies have linked hearing loss to dementia and cognitive issues.
- State-of-the-art features make today’s hearing aids better than ever. Many hearing aids are virtually invisible, sitting discreetly and comfortably inside the ear canal. Many can adjust to all kinds of noise environments and pick up sound from all directions. Best of all, many are wireless. Some hearing aids can also stream sound directly from your smartphone, home entertainment system, and other electronics directly into the hearing aid itself—at volumes just right for you. Some are even waterproof.
- Hearing aids may preventincome loss. BHI research has found that using hearing aids reduced the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with severe to moderate hearing loss. People with untreated hearing loss can lose as much as $30,000 in income annually, the study found.
- Hearing aids can help reduce the prominence of tinnitus by amplifying background sound. Tinnitus affects nearly 50 million Americans and is often the result of noise exposure. It is almost always accompanied by hearing loss. Just taking the focus off the tinnitus can provide relief for many people. Hearing aids also help reduce the stress associated with intensive listening, which alone can help relieve tinnitus symptoms.
- More than 9 out of 10 of the newest hearing aid owners are happy. As many as 91 percent of all owners of the newest hearing aids—those purchased in the last year—are satisfied with their hearing aids, according to recent BHI research. When you look at just those with wireless hearing aid technology, the satisfaction rates go even higher.
- Today’s hearing aid users are giving the thumbs up to others. The vast majority of current hearing aid users say they’d recommend a hearing aid to others. In fact, as many as 90 percent of people who purchased their hearing aid within the last four years say they’d recommend a hearing aid to a friend or family member with hearing loss, according to recent BHI research.
Take a free, quick, and confidential online hearing check at at BetterHearing.org [http://www.betterhearing.org/check-your-hearing] to determine if you need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing healthcare professional.
At Advanced Specialty Care, we have a dedicated team of audiologists who will work with you. Through diagnostic testing and conversations with you, one of our audiologists will not only determine what your hearing abilities are, but will work with you towards solutions for better hearing and communication. To take the first step and schedule a hearing exam, call (203) 830-4700 today. Our offices are located in Fairfield County, CT in Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk and Ridgefield.