Hearing Checks

It’s the beginning of the year and many of us have established New Year’s Resolutions to become fit and improve our health. Annual health checks are generally recommended to keep your body in top physical condition, and often include blood pressure, eye and teeth checks. But what about your ears? Many people may not know how often to have their hearing checked while others may never have had theirs tested.

Hearing loss is a natural occurrence and effects everyone differently. It is typically gradual and often goes unnoticed until major difficulties are experienced or those closest around you say you are not hearing them well. Not only can hearing loss affect a person’s ability to communicate and stay socially connected, but it can also have a drastic effect on their quality of life (1), with research finding that untreated hearing losses can lead to significant cognitive decline (2) as well as embarrassment and social isolation (3). As soon as you feel there is any change in your hearing, a full diagnostic assessment with one of our audiologists is recommended.

Earlier identification and management of a hearing loss can mean significantly better outcomes in the long run. If you have never had your hearing tested, an initial baseline test is recommended for future comparisons. From this test, your audiologist will initially determine if there is any level of hearing loss as well as the overall health of your ears before advising you when to return for reassessment. As a general rule of thumb, hearing tests are recommended every 2-5 years depending on your age and hearing.

Noticed a sudden change in your hearing? Last-minute appointments can be arranged with our audiologists for further investigation.
​
Contact the clinic for further information or to arrange a hearing test with one of our clinicians today.


(1) Ciorba, A., Bianchini, C., Pelucchi, S., & Pastore, A. (2012). The impact of hearing loss on the quality of life of elderly adults. Clin Interv Aging, 7(6), 159-163.
(2) Lin, F. R., Yaffe, K., Xia, J., Xue, Q. L., Harris, T. B., Purchase-Helzner, E., Satterfield, S., Ayonayon, H.N., Ferrucci, L., Simonsick, E.M. & Health ABC Study Group. (2013). Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA internal medicine, 173(4), 293-299.
(3) Mick, P., Kawachi, I., & Lin, F. R. (2014). The association between hearing loss and social isolation in older adults. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 150(3), 378-384.

---