Adding trips, birthdays and daily reminders to your calendar is a great way to ensure you never miss important moments or opportunities this year. While planning vacations to the Black Canyon Campground or setting up birthday dinners for the important people in your life, consider setting aside some time to engage with the world of hearing loss this year.
Hearing loss, tinnitus and other audiological conditions are often described as invisible. With no external signs of the condition, those with hearing loss can often feel like they’re going through it alone. There are currently more than 1.5 billion people living with hearing loss, accounting for nearly 20% of the global population. Learning about hearing loss is one excellent way to engage in this invisible condition.
What Should You Know About Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss can be classified into three main types: sensorineural, conductive and mixed. Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear, while conductive hearing loss affects the outer or middle ear. Mixed hearing loss is a combination of both.
Several factors that contribute to hearing loss include but are not limited to aging, exposure to loud noise, genetics, excess earwax, physical damage to the ear, ear infections, bone growths or tumors and a ruptured eardrum.
While early detection may not prevent all hearing loss from progressing, it can help you seek treatment and combat the adverse effects of the condition with hearing aids, cochlear implants and more. Some common hearing loss symptoms to watch out for include muffled speech or other noises, difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, trouble hearing consonants, turning up the TV volume higher than others find comfortable, experiencing ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and withdrawal from social settings.
How Can You Engage With Hearing Loss?
Finding spare time in your daily routine can seem impossible at times. Sometimes, it helps to designate time in the future to engage with a new subject or activity. Two hearing loss-centered events to add to your 2024 calendar include:
- World Hearing Day (March 3rd): World Hearing Day, organized by the World Health Organization, aims to raise awareness about hearing loss, promote prevention methods and advocate for ear and hearing care globally. On March 3rd, take the time to spread the word about the importance of hearing healthcare through your social media platforms, emails and word-of-mouth channels.
- National Speech-Language-Hearing Month (May): ASHA’s National Speech-Language-Hearing Month focuses on raising awareness about speech disorders and encouraging individuals to prioritize their hearing health. During the month of May, consider scheduling a hearing test for yourself and your loved ones. Even if you haven’t noticed any observable symptoms of hearing loss, establishing a baseline hearing test can help track your hearing over time, enabling early detection and treatment if necessary.
If you’re interested in learning more about hearing loss or scheduling a hearing test, contact Southwestern Hearing & Balance today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.