Hearing screenings typically absent from routine doctor exams

This post originally appeared on Starkey.com

Today’s fact headlining the lack of hearing screenings at routine doctor exams may surprise you—or not.

If you’re surprised: It’s probably because you’ve been keeping up with the mounting research that strongly links hearing loss with dementia, cognitive decline, depression, loneliness, and falls.

If you’re not surprised: You may be familiar with the current state of shorter appointments in the U.S. and let’s face it—it’s not uncommon for physicians to prioritize other tests, labs, and questions before hearing. You’ve likely “been there,” and realize if you had any hearing loss concerns, it would be your role to mention them to the physician.

Regular hearing screenings are essential to your health

While the reasoning behind the lack of hearing screenings at routine exams isn’t clear-cut, we can take today’s fact as a reminder of how important it is to prioritize our hearing health. Regular hearing exams not only are the first step in helping to prevent the long-term detriments of hearing loss, such as dementia, but also play an immediate role in the early intervention of age-related hearing loss—which is gradual and often difficult to detect. As a result, people may not even realize they have hearing loss until it is further along and more challenging to treat.

On a positive note, the case integrating hearing screenings into regular health exams appears to be gaining some momentum: The esteemed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, for example, recently recommended routine doctor hearing screenings in a published report titled Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability.

But while progress continues to grow, taking care of our hearing is up to us.

Fortunately, there are two things you can do:

Option 1: Tell your physician about hearing concerns

If you think you may have hearing loss, or even if you’re unsure, tell your physician. They can refer you to a licensed hearing care professional in the same way they might refer you to a dermatologist for skin issues. A hearing specialist will have the equipment and expertise to evaluate your hearing and counsel you through treatment options for any hearing issues you may be experiencing.

Option 2: Visit a hearing care professional yourself

As it stands, experts recommend having your hearing screened every three years once you’re 50. So, you can feel empowered to make it a part of annual health checks. Hearing evaluations are simple and pain-free, and can easily be set up with a hearing care professional near you.

For a head start, simply type your zip code in here to generate a list of local providers. They will be happy to show you how your hearing is doing, and as mentioned, discuss treatment if needed.

If you’re interested in a hearing test, visit your closest Land of Lincoln Hearing office to learn more about your hearing health.

Happy hearing makes for happy holidays!

Holidays are a time for being with family and friends and having fun! A few tips will help keep your hearing aids working well to make sure you get the most out of this holiday season!

• Watch out for the cold! Hearing aids are basically little computers, so don’t leave them in the car overnight. If you do, give them time to warm up before using them.

• Children and pets love hearing aids! Being around family can put you around children and pets you don’t see on a regular basis. Keeping your hearing aids on your ears will make sure little hands and pets don’t get a hold of them.

• Hearing aids don’t like snow! If you drop your hearing aids in the snow, take them in the house, throw away the battery and let them dry out. Please do not put them in the oven or microwave to dry them. If you have a dry aid kit, use it.

• If you have rechargeable hearing aids, don’t let the charger sit in the car/outside overnight. It doesn’t like the cold any more than we (or your hearing aids) do! If you forget it in the car, give it a chance to warm up before using it, to get the best performance.

• Family and friends can be lots of fun. The fun may often come with lots of volume and many big groups, too! Sit close to the people you want to talk to and make sure you are in a well-lit area.

• Children’s voices can be soft and they can talk fast. Make sure the children you are talking to are looking at you. Don’t be afraid to ask the child to repeat or another adult to help “translate.”

• Accessories make life easier! If you have accessories, like remote microphones, use them! They can help you enjoy the festivities even more.

As the holidays approach, tell stories, sing songs, laugh and — most of all — enjoy time with the people who bring you joy. Happy Holidays!

How to know if you should get your hearing tested

Do you ever feel like people around you are mumbling or speaking too quickly? Are you having to ask others to repeat themselves frequently or struggling to follow a conversation when there is background noise? If so, these could be indicators that you have a hearing loss.

Often, our friends and family members may notice we have hearing loss before we do. We may even use them as a crutch to help fill in the blanks when we are missing parts of a conversation. Or perhaps they recognize you are having a hard time on the telephone or the volume of the TV continues to go up. If any of this sounds familiar to you, it’s time to get your hearing checked.

The best way to find out if you have a hearing loss is to get a simple hearing evaluation by a licensed hearing healthcare professional. They will be able to determine not only if you have a hearing loss, but what type and how severe the loss may be. Even if no loss is detected, it’s still a great idea to have a baseline audiogram to compare to any future tests.

 To get started, you may want to ask yourself a few simple questions:

• Do you often have trouble following conversations in groups?

• Are you having difficulty on the phone?

• Do you think others are mumbling?

• Do you say “I can hear, but I can’t understand”

• Are you avoiding noisy events or restaurants?

• Have you noticed the volume of the TV or radio needs to be turned up?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you know it’s time to get a hearing evaluation. There are also free hearing screenings you can take online that will let you know if you have a loss or not. Just click on this link, and in a matter of minutes you’ll not only find out if you have a hearing loss, but also what you can do about it.

Remember, hearing health is important and you don’t have to struggle. It’s important to get regular hearing evaluations, even if it’s just to get a baseline. Don’t wait! Early detection is the key to your success.

Call Land of Lincoln Hearing to schedule your first hearing evaluation today!