If you’re like most people, you probably assume that you won’t see any problems with your hearing until you’re in the 70-to-90 age bracket.
However, many people are beginning to experience a hearing loss at a much younger age. Among the reasons is the rising rate of sensorineural damage from occupational noise in working age people.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 18 percent (almost 60 million) of Americans between ages 20 and 69 are experiencing a hearing loss after being exposed for five years or more to loud noise where they work.
Hearing loss can become an issue for anyone of any age due to genetic factors, previous illness or infection, ototoxic drugs, accidental damage to your ears, and/or ongoing exposure to loud noise.
Although it is true that hearing challenges are more prevalent after the age of 70, many of the signs of hearing loss are recognizable even earlier, such as missing parts of conversations, not hearing instructions at work, having to ask people to repeat themselves several times, and turning the volume up too high on the TV.
The real question to ask yourself is: When is the best time to start putting my hearing health on my list of wellness priorities?
Fortunately, at ENT Consultants of East Tennessee, we aren’t worried about which age bracket you fit into when you come in to get the help you need with your hearing. We are eager to provide hearing healthcare services to ensure that you hear your best and don’t miss a step as you move into your retirement years.
What Does a Hearing Test Do for You?
Hearing tests are a primary tool we use to measure the amount of hearing loss you’re experiencing.
Even if you have normal hearing or only a mild hearing loss during your first test, it establishes a baseline against which future hearing assessments can be measured. Our ability to monitor the changes to your hearing gives us a head start when it comes to preventing further damage and treating your condition before it begins to affect your lifestyle.
In addition to measuring the type and severity of your hearing loss, we use hearing tests to program hearing aids to boost specific frequencies and fine-tune your hearing aid experience to fit your specific needs.
Recognizing that you aren’t hearing your best is the first step to a smarter, healthier future, allowing you to perform better at work, rejoin the conversations at home and in your social life, and ensure your safety in a world where hearing is an essential part of everyday interaction in our community.
What to Expect during a Hearing Assessment
A hearing assessment at ENT Consultants of East Tennessee begins with a conversation about your health and family history, occupation, hobbies, and social activities you take part in regularly. Your audiologist will use the information from this conversation to help identify some of the risk factors that are common in developing hearing loss.
A physical examination of your ears will follow. This allows your doctor to see if your ear canals are blocked by a foreign substance, earwax, a growth, or inflammation as well as assess the structural integrity of your eardrums.
The next phase of your hearing assessment will include a series of tests that determine the type and severity of any hearing loss you might be experiencing. In addition to determining the highest volume necessary to hear various frequencies, we’ll also test your ability to hear and process speech in a noisy environment.
Unlike many tests, you won’t have to wait for the results. As soon as we are finished testing, your audiologist will go over the results with you, explaining what they mean, and then provide you with solutions to prevent any additional damage or go through the various options available to help you achieve better hearing.
What Should I Do Next?
If you’re in your 60s and beginning to experience the signs of hearing loss, today is the best time to take control of your hearing health before it begins to take control of your life.
Even if you are not experiencing signs of hearing loss, it is time to start making your hearing health a wellness priority with annual hearing tests that allow you to stay ahead of the curve as you age.
To become proactive about your hearing health, schedule a hearing test at ENT Consultants of East Tennessee today!
You can use the following link to schedule a comprehensive hearing assessment or call 865-693-6065 or the clinic nearest you:
Knoxville (Fort Sanders)—(865) 546-5477;
Knoxville (Park West)—(865) 693-6065;
Lenoir City—(865) 292-3560;
Tellico Village—(865) 693-6065, ext. 1270.
