By Rachel Trinker, Au.D., CCC-A, Head of Audiology at Audien Hearing
When we think about taking care of our health, we often think about eating well, staying active, getting enough sleep, and keeping up with routine medical appointments. But there's another part of wellness that's easy to overlook: hearing health.
Hearing plays an important role in how we communicate, connect with the people around us, and participate in everyday life. That's why taking care of your hearing shouldn't begin only after you're struggling to hear. Like many other areas of health, hearing deserves proactive attention.
Make Hearing Checks Part of Your Routine
Most people wouldn't think twice about scheduling an eye exam when their vision changes, but changes in hearing can be easier to dismiss.
Hearing loss often develops gradually. You may notice that conversations seem less clear, you're turning the television up a little higher, or you have more difficulty understanding speech in restaurants and other noisy environments. Because these changes can happen slowly, it's easy to adjust to them without realizing how much your hearing has changed.
A hearing evaluation can provide a baseline and help identify changes over time. If you've noticed a difference in your hearing, or other people have pointed one out, it's worth getting it checked. Even if you aren't experiencing difficulty, having a baseline can give you something to compare against if your hearing changes in the future.
Pay Attention to Your Everyday Experiences
Hearing wellness isn't just about what shows up on a hearing test. As an audiologist, I encourage people to pay attention to how they're hearing in the situations that matter to them every day.
Are you asking people to repeat themselves more often? Do you have to concentrate harder to follow conversations? Are group settings becoming more frustrating? Have you started avoiding situations where hearing is difficult?
These everyday experiences can be valuable clues that it's time to pay more attention to your hearing.
Be Proactive About Hearing Health
You don't have to wait until hearing becomes a major problem to take action. Protecting your ears around loud sounds, practicing safe listening habits, having your hearing evaluated when appropriate, and addressing hearing difficulties when they first arise can all be part of a healthy routine.
This National Wellness Month, consider adding hearing to your wellness checklist. Taking care of your health means paying attention to how you experience the world around you, and hearing is an important part of that.
