October celebrates Audiology Awareness Month. Hearing health has been linked to many aspects of overall health, yet only 1 in 4 adults receive hearing screenings during routine physical exams. That is surprising when nearly 74% of adults get their eyes examined every 2 years and 62% of adults visit a dentist each year*. So if other aspects of an individual’s health are made a priority, why should a hearing exam be any different? There are 4 key factors which may be contributing to this:
- Hearing loss is a gradual process making it less noticeable to the individual experiencing hearing loss.
- Hearing loss is an invisible disability, so it is not as widely spoken about.
- Our population is not educated on how important hearing health is to and individual’s overall health and well-being.
- Majority of general practitioners don’t screen for hearing loss.
It is time to make your hearing health a top priority. We encourage you to include an annual hearing test to your annual wellness check-ups.
October is also National Protect Your Hearing Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 million American workers go to work each day in an environment with damaging noise. Wearing hearing protection, such as foam earplugs, is the easiest thing an individual can do to preserve his/her hearing.
Contact us today to schedule your FREE hearing screening or request more information on hearing protection.
*Sources: Glaucoma Research Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Better Hearing Institute.