Celebrate Better Hearing Every Month

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! Audiologists across the country and hearing aid manufacturers like Oticon (who published handy hearing loss prevention tips) are using this month to educate the public about the signs of hearing loss in conjunction with this year’s theme, “Identify the Signs.” Every day, we’re subjected to hundreds of sounds louder than 85 decibels (the recognized limit for safe hearing) – from a noisy construction site to a hairdryer. Noises like these can cause noise-induced hearing loss, irreversibly damaging our hearing. So, you may be suffering from hearing loss and not even know it. So this month, why not take a few minutes to do a self-check of your own hearing? Only an audiologist can perform an extensive evaluation to determine the type and severity of hearing loss and design a plan for treatment. But recognizing your symptoms can give you the boost you might need to make that initial appointment. Here are a few indicators of hearing loss from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Identify the Signs website.

In Children:

If you’re hearing impaired, you can also look for features built into the cell phone that will help make using the device easier. Here are some examples.

• A lack of attention to sounds (birth-1 year)
• Failure to respond when calling his/her name (7 months-1 year)
• Shows delays in speech and language development (birth-3 years)
• Pulls or scratches at his/her ears
• Academic difficulty, especially in reading and math
• Persistent ear discomfort after exposure to loud noise (regular and constant listening to electronics at high volumes)

In Adults:

• Inattentiveness
• Buzzing or ringing in the ears
• Failure to respond when spoken to
• Persistent ear discomfort after exposure to loud noise
• Muffled hearing
• Constant frustration hearing speech and other sounds
• Social isolation
• Depression

Hearing health shouldn’t just be something we think about in May. We should choose better hearing every day by protecting our ears from loud noises and getting regular hearing exams. So, if you or your children exhibit any of the following symptoms, make the choice for better hearing now. Schedule an appointment for a hearing test with Clifton Springs Hearing Center today.