As an audiologist, I meet people every day who have very little knowledge about their ears or their hearing in general, which isn’t too surprising. What is surprising is how little attention the medical community pays to hearing difficulties and/or ear disorders. As audiologists, we all agree that this needs to change — and the only way to do this is by educating the medical community.
Every year, a Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) dedicates the month of May to highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention in the treatment of communication disorders. This provides advocates of speech and hearing awareness with a valuable platform to create a buzz about general communication health. But, while we support this campaign wholeheartedly, year round educational platform is needed to help medical professionals and the wider community become more aware of the effects of hearing loss and ear disorders.
One of the ways we can start to spread the word is by letting people know just how important it is to monitor the health of their ears. I often hear people talk about getting their eyes checked on regular basis — yet it’s much less common to hear people mention the need to have their hearing checked. There are countless reasons to get your hearing checked on a regular basis, even if you are not experiencing any obvious symptoms of hearing loss. A few of the risk factors for hearing loss or other ear disorders include:
- Diabetes
- Age (50+ years)
- Regular exposure to noisy environments
- A family history of hearing loss
Your should get your hearing tested immediately if you experience any of the following:
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears
- Ringing or buzzing in your ears
- Dizziness or balance issues
Even if none of the above factors apply to you, it’s still a good idea to undergo a baseline assessment, just in case anything ever goes wrong with your ears. That way, we can compare any problems that might arise to your baseline results.
To stay on top of your hearing health — and give your ears the same attention as your eyes — contact us today to schedule a full audiology assessment.