Even if you use glasses (the kind you put on your face, not the kind you drink out of), you still visit your eye doctor annually, right? Because, over time, your eyes change. Nothing in your body is static, not your eyes and not, as it happens, your ears either. That’s why, just as it is with your eyes, it’s crucial to keep having your ears assessed even after you’ve purchased a nice pair of hearing aids.
Unfortunately, many individuals skip those regular check-ups. Maybe they’ve been too occupied enjoying their lives to get back in to see your physician. Or, it may be that your job has been hectic lately. Or maybe, you’ve just been so satisfied with your hearing aids that you haven’t had a reason to go back in. That’s a good thing, right?
Scheduling a hearing test
Let’s take Daphne as a fictional example. For quite a while, Daphne has noted some warning signs connected to her hearing. She keeps turning the TV up. When she goes out after work to a loud restaurant, she has trouble following conversations. And because she likes to take care of herself, and she’s intelligent, she schedules a hearing assessment.
Daphne makes certain to follow all of the steps to manage her hearing impairment: she gets fitted for new hearing aids and has them precisely calibrated, and then gets back to her normal routine.
Problem solved? Well, maybe not completely. It’s fantastic that Daphne went in for a hearing screening and discovered her hearing problems early. But for most individuals with hearing impairment, even a minor one, follow-up care becomes even more significant in the long run. Keeping up on routine appointments would be a smart idea for Daphne. But Daphne isn’t alone in bypassing check-ups, according to one survey, only 33% of senior citizens using hearing aids also maintained regular hearing services.
If you already use hearing aids, why do you need regular hearing exams?
Alright, remember our glasses metaphor? Daphne’s hearing won’t become static and stop changing just because she has hearing aids. It’s important to adjust the hearing aids to counter those changes. Any hearing changes can be recognized early with periodic monitoring.
And that isn’t even the only reason why it might be a smart idea to keep routine appointments after you have your hearing aids. Some of the most common reasons to ensure you make it to your next check-up include:
- Hearing deterioration: Even with a hearing aid, your hearing could continue to deteriorate. If this deterioration is slow enough, you probably won’t recognize it’s happening without the assistance of a hearing exam. Hearing loss can often be slowed by properly fine-tuning your hearing aids.
- Hearing aid calibration: While your general hearing health might remain stable, small changes in your hearing might create the need for annual calibration of your hearing aid. Without this calibration, your hearing aids could slowly become less and less effective.
- Your fit may change: Because your ears are always changing, it’s quite possible that the way your hearing aids fit inside of your ears will shift. Regular hearing tests can help ensure that your hearing aids continue to fit the way they’re designed to.
Hazards and roadblocks
The greatest problem here is that sooner or later, the hearing aids Daphne is wearing will stop working the way they’re supposed to, so she’ll get frustrated with them and stop using them altogether. Using hearing aids helps slow down hearing loss over time. If you stop wearing them, not only can your hearing diminish faster, you might not notice it right away.
When it comes to achieving efficient performance of your hearing aids, and optimal hearing, routine hearing assessments are vital. Safeguard your hearing and make sure your hearing aids are effectively working by getting regular screenings.