May is Better Hearing Month What You Should Know

Hearing loss can happen at any age due to illness, birth defects, genetics, exposure to loud noises, or aging. As we age, hearing loss typically diminishes. For individuals with hearing loss, it can be dangerous not to hear the car horn that’s attempting to alert you of an impending accident. It’s unsafe not to be able to hear the smoke or burglar alarm. Also, consider, the safety risks of not being able to hear conversations correctly. This can lead to confusion and lack of the ability to follow necessary directions.

Hearing Loss Can Negatively Affect Your Brain
Getting your hearing checked regularly is critical for your own personal safety and the health of your brain. Individuals that struggle with hearing often become less social and therefore their cognitive decline is affected by less interaction and less mental processing. It is also thought that decline in other special senses, like the sense of smell and vision, can exacerbate cognitive issues due to degeneration in these other areas of the brain.

The Ability to Hear Well and Stay Safe are Interconnected
If you have hearing loss in one ear, it can be difficult to decipher where sounds are actually coming from. It’s common for people to sleep on their “good ear” to get a better nights rest, but this again, puts one at risk due to not being able to hear during an emergency or precarious situation. Getting hearing aids to improve hearing or getting your hearing aids upgraded to suit your changing hearing is absolutely imperative.

What You Can Do
• Avoid excessive exposure to loud noises
• Avoid ear infections by limiting water in the ears or by treating other forms of infection that commonly affect the ears
• Regularly get your hearing checked
• Get and Wear Hearing Aids

Hearing Aid Evaluation
There are several steps that are part of a hearing aid evaluation. If you suspect that you might need a hearing aid, you will first need to have a hearing evaluation. At the time of the hearing evaluation, a case history will be taken to determine how much your hearing problem impacts your day-to-day life as well as the lives of your family. You may also have to provide some basic questions about your general health history.

Hearing Test Results
The results from your hearing test will provide the hearing care professional information on what sounds you may be missing or hearing. The results of this testing will also allow the hearing care professional to make the best treatment recommendations, which typically includes hearing aids.

Hearing Aid Recommendation
If your hearing test reveals a permanent hearing loss, hearing aids may be recommended. Your hearing professional may explain what sounds you have difficulty hearing, and what hearing aids can do to help. It is usually at this appointment that you will get to see and touch different styles of hearing aids. In some cases, you may even be able to listen to a hearing aid.

Your hearing professional will help you choose the best hearing aid style, features and level of sophistication based on your degree of hearing loss, lifestyle, and financial circumstances. Some hobbies and occupations may benefit from different hearing aid styles or features, so your hearing care provider may have you fill out a questionnaire to assist during the evaluation process. The final decision on which hearing aids are purchased is your choice.

Once you make a decision, the hearing professional may take impressions of your ears if you selected custom hearing aids or behind-the-ear hearing aids that require earmolds. Hearing aids must usually be ordered from a manufacturer and then programmed by your hearing professional to meet your specific hearing needs. There is an adjustment period when wearing hearing aids, so it’s possible your provider may make additional changes to your settings to ensure you’re getting the best listening experience possible.

Contact Premear Hearing today to find out more about your options to improve your hearing or to upgrade your hearing devices.

We also offer FREE 30 Day Trials, FREE Lifetime Servicing, FREE Repairs for any hearing aid from any manufacturer, and provide Financing options to fit your budget with 0% interest to you. We also accept many insurance plans. At Premear Hearing it is our goal to better your hearing and your quality of life.

Ocala’s Only Family Owned Hearing Care Provider with 2 Locations.

Premear Hearing
352-438-0050
4620 E Silver Springs Blvd #501, Ocala, FL 34470

352-236-6700
4414 SW College Rd #1530, Ocala, FL 34474