Hearing loss is not normal aging

I feel that as a sense, our hearing goes under-appreciated, under-recognized and under the radar.

One of the reasons I became an audiologist is to help people meaningfully connect with the people they love and the world around them by helping them hear better. When we hear well, we can engage in conversation with ease—no more listening fatigue.

Here’s a well-known statistic: The average amount of time a person waits to have their hearing tested after perceiving hearing loss is seven years.

You would never wait seven years if you experienced vision loss.

Even “mild” hearing loss can dramatically affect our ability to communicate and understand speech. I liken the mechanics of hearing to a muscle. If you don’t use it, you lose it. It needs to be fully functioning to send your brain the adequate stimulus to decipher speech and other sounds.

Patients often tell me they accept their hearing loss because they feel it’s a normal part of growing old. It’s not. I routinely evaluate patients in their 90s with perfect hearing.

We recommend a baseline screening by age 50 or earlier if you suspect hearing loss. It only takes 20-40 minutes within a sound-treated booth to pinpoint your thresholds. 

A yearly hearing test is covered by Medicare and most insurances. We run a full benefits assessment for our patients so they know in advance what will be covered if they end up needing hearing devices.

Amanda’s Family Hearing is located at 1701 Mentor Avenue, Suite 5, in Painesville. Call 440-357-4327 or visit AmandasFamilyHearing.com for more information.