Dr. Crystal Miyake is an audiologist at The Vancouver Clinic. She specializes in helping patients with hearing aids and amplification.
Hearing is one of our basic five senses and is crucial to communication. Hearing well — or the best you can— keeps you engaged with family and friends. It helps you to continue doing the things you love to do.
If you think your hearing might be declining I suggest getting a hearing test. Some 48 million Americans deal with hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. It’s extremely common, and the sooner you start managing it the better.
All ages are vulnerable
People can experience hearing problems at any age. In some cases, it’s related to diseases like cancer and diabetes. Other times, it’s the result of noise exposure. In my practice, I see a growing number of people in their early 20s who have hearing loss due to earbud use.
Treatment keeps you strong
Treating hearing loss early may help younger adults be more effective at work and make changes that stave off further declines. Managing hearing loss in older adults can help prevent the depression and anxiety that occur when conversation becomes too difficult and peoples’ worlds start to shrink. Studies show that it can even prevent the loss of brain mass, critical to mental acuity.
There’s no substitute for expertise
When you’re ready to get your hearing checked, consider these three tips:
Tip 1: Find a trained audiologist. You want someone who can diagnose and treat hearing loss and who has the expertise to recognize a deeper health issue and refer you to a specialist. You should feel comfortable working with them long-term.
Tip 2: Do your best to relax. Your appointment should be a positive experience where you learn about your hearing status and what options you have, should you need help. No one should tell you that you have to do anything. As the patient, you decide what’s appropriate.
Tip 3: Bring a support person. Families can provide incredible support when dealing with hearing issues. They can offer perspective on what will and won’t work with your lifestyle.
Hearing aids today are better than ever
If you and your audiologist do decide on hearing aids or amplifiers, you can be confident that they’re no longer the big, clunky devices of year’s past. Today’s hearing aids are sophisticated, discreet and highly customizable to your situation. Because they now use “fractal tones,” they can even help with tinnitus — the ringing sound that can accompany hearing loss.
But while hearing aids can make a huge difference in your life, they still aren’t a cure-all. Patients who decide on hearing aids need to be ready to make a long-term commitment with lots of visits, counseling and fine-turning. It’s a marathon rather than a 100-meter dash.
Remember, you aren’t just paying for this fancy device. You’re investing in the expertise to tailor it to your life and needs. As a doctor, my highest hope is to not just look at a patient’s ears and treat the hearing loss. I want to look at how the hearing loss is impacting their life and ability to communicate. By treating the whole person, I can help patients achieve their goals and live a fulfilling life.
