It’s that time of year where everyone is making New Year’s resolutions. While most are making resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight, or to get a new job or save more money, what about making a resolution to put your focus on health? That means visiting your doctor, scheduling an appointment with your dentist, getting your hearing and eyes checked, and making a conscious effort to follow a healthier diet and get enough exercise.
Far too often, people don’t make their hearing enough of a priority. In fact, when’s the last time you had your hearing checked? You can probably name the last time you went to see your doctor for an annual check-up, but can you say the same about your audiologist? Preventative healthcare is one of the best ways to prevent illness and increase longevity, so even if you aren’t experiencing immediate issues with your hearing, it’s still important to have your hearing checked regularly. We should approach hearing the same way we approach having our blood pressure or cholesterol levels checked and having regular tests to check for early signs of cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
Statistics show that people wait until they are experiencing difficulty with their hearing to get it tested. They could’ve been unknowingly living with the effects of hearing loss for years without realizing it. To put that in perspective, imagine living with high cholesterol for years unknowingly. Imagine the damage that could do to your heart. Untreated hearing loss works in much the same way that high blood pressure or high cholesterol does: it affects other parts of the body. To name a few, it has been linked to dementia, decreases in cognitive function, and feelings of isolation and depression. This is why it’s best to get your hearing checked regularly as part of your resolution to take care of your overall health.
Your audiologist will start with a baseline test, and then subsequent tests may be recommended based upon your results. If you have a high risk for hearing loss, you will be encouraged to have your hearing check annually.
Let us help you achieve your 2020 resolution by giving Amdahl Hearing a call today. In the meantime, you can start making your hearing a priority right now by wearing protective hearing equipment as needed and listening to music and the television at a safe level.