Say what? Here’s why you should check your hearing this September
With Women’s Health Week held every September, it offers us a chance to really focus on the different aspects of our health that we might not think about in our day-to-day lives.
For Lauren McNee, a clinical trainer and audiologist at Audika, this week provides the opportunity to check in with something many of us ignore: hearing loss.
“Overall, Australians are not taking action to look after their hearing, with only one in five planning a hearing test in the next 12 months - compared to 39 percent who intend to get an eye test in the same period,” she tells OverSixty.
Over 1.5 billion people live with some form of hearing loss, ranging from mild to profound loss that can affect one or both of your ears.
Though we might not think about it all that much, we rely on our ability to hear to interact with the world around us, with the World Health Organisation reporting that hearing loss can result in social isolation, loneliness and frustration, as well as $US 980 billion cost to the global economy each year.
McNee says that taking the chance to check up on our ear health is particularly important as we age too, and should be among the various tests and check-ups we do to monitor our health.
As we age, most of us will lose our hearing in some way, in a condition called presbycusis. According to the National Institue on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, most of us will experience a combination of noise-induced hearing loss - from listening to sounds that are too loud or last too long - as well as age-related hearing loss which can occur because of changes to our inner ear.
For women, McNee says that those with hearing loss are more likely to suffer from depression - but there are some key signs to look out for to catch hearing loss early.
“Some key signs to look for include difficulty following conversations, phone conversations may be unclear, people seem to be mumbling, difficulty locating where sounds are coming from, ringing or buzzing in the ears, or even finding that you have to keep turning up the volume on the TV or radio,” she explains.
“When a person’s communication becomes limited due to hearing loss, this can result in withdrawal from social activities and can lead to isolation – which we know can be a gateway to experiencing symptoms of depression.”
Who’s at risk of hearing loss?
Though McNee says hearing loss “doesn’t discriminate”, there are some factors that can increase your risk of losing your hearing.
“It depends on a few factors, including your age and risk factors such as family history, occupation, and any pre-existing conditions like diabetes – which is known to be linked to hearing loss,” McNee explains.
Whether our hearing loss is due to exposure or age, the damage and changes in our ears can’t be reversed.
But, there are ways to protect your ears from other causes of hearing loss and reduce your risk of further loss.
“If you are exposed to loud noises regularly, like renovations, loud music or engines, make sure you are taking steps to protect your ears at those times by wearing appropriate hearing protection,” McNee suggests.
“If you like to listen to music, especially with ear bud headphones, make sure the volume is such that you can still hear others around you or keep listening time down.”
McNee also suggests checking your hearing regularly, and that an annual check-up if you’re over the age 50 is best.
“We usually recommend that people that aren’t exhibiting hearing loss, but are over the age of 50, get screened once a year just to be safe,” McNee says.
“If you are at high-risk of hearing loss, or you are exhibiting symptoms, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible. Early detection can help reduce the risk of other related conditions such as depression.”
Luckily, checking your hearing is a pretty quick and simple process, with tests offered in-person and online for free.
Image: Getty Images