May is Speech and Hearing Month, and we sat down with Ricky Chow, an audiologist at Sunnybrook, to learn about the impact of hearing loss on patients and families, and what you can do to ensure healthy hearing.
Why is hearing loss impactful?
Hearing loss can make it difficult to understand what others are saying, especially in noisy environments or when multiple people are talking. This difficulty can quickly lead to frustration and isolation from social situations. This social isolation can then further lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Hearing loss also affects others around you. Misunderstandings and miscommunication as a result of hearing loss can contribute to frustration and conflict, which can affect the quality of relationships over time.
Overall, untreated hearing loss can have impacts on mental health and quality of life. It is recommended that you seek assistance sooner rather than later to help mitigate these effects.
What steps can you take to prevent hearing loss through your lifetime?
One avoidable cause of hearing loss is noise exposure. Try to limit exposure to loud noise, and in situations where it is unavoidable, wear hearing protection. This can take the form of generic ear plugs from your local drug store or even custom-made ones molded to the shape of your ears. This also applies to music, so don’t set the volume too high! If you do attend concerts or play any instruments you can get specialized earplugs, referred to as musician’s plugs. Musician’s plugs maintain the same quality of sound while reducing the overall volume.
Avoid inserting anything into your ears, as it can cause irreversible damage to the structures in your ear! If you have concerns about ear wax, seek the help of a professional to help you manage it.
Certain conditions such as diabetes and heart disease have been connected to hearing loss, so maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce their effects as well.
When should you have a hearing test?
You may try out our online hearing screener to see if you might have a hearing problem. If you are often asking people to repeat, or if people are having to speak up for you to hear them, it may be a good idea to get your hearing tested.
What’s the latest in the world of hearing devices?
Many hearing aids now have Bluetooth built into them, which allows you to do a few things once you have them connected to your phone. For example, you can:
- Stream audio: Any audio from phone calls, video, or music apps can be sent directly to the hearing aids like a pair of headphones.
- Use handsfree calling: Some hearing aids now allow you to use them as a handsfree headset; you can use the button on the hearing aid to pick up or hang up a call. The microphone on the hearing aid can pick up your voice, so you can engage in a phone conversation even if your phone is away (but within Bluetooth range).
- Try out remote control functions: Use the manufacturer’s app to control things such as the volume or bass/treble balance of your hearing aids.
Have virtual appointments: You can have the hearing aids adjusted remotely by your audiologist over the internet, saving you a trip to the clinic.
