October Is Audiology Awareness Month
Opinion
By JENNIFER SOWARDS, AuD
The American Academy of Audiology started Audiology Awareness Month in 2008 as a means of bringing awareness to hearing health and the importance of hearing protection. Did you know that, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, even though 13% of the population has hearing loss, only 16% of adults ages 20-69, and 30% of adults over age 70 with hearing loss, use hearing aids? We find those results staggering.
Our private audiology clinic, Florence Hearing, serves Western Mass. and beyond. We’re constantly encouraging people of all ages to prioritize their hearing healthcare, but we’re pushing the subject especially during Audiology Awareness Month this October. We are committed to helping create better living through better hearing, and we’re looking forward to seeing more people talking about their hearing healthcare as Audiology Awareness Month commences.
Coincidently, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are being made available mid-October. OTC hearing aids are an option for folks with mild to moderate hearing loss, but with many brands likely to hit the market, a patient may need to do some research to determine which device meets their hearing loss and lifestyle needs. At Florence Hearing, we are encouraging folks to consider OTC hearing aids as the hearing equivalent of reading glasses. They are an appropriate starting point; however, it is still important to see an audiologist for your hearing evaluation to determine whether or not they will help you.
OTC hearing aids are an option for folks with mild to moderate hearing loss, but with many brands likely to hit the market, a patient may need to do some research to determine which device meets their hearing loss and lifestyle needs.”
We’ve always recommended that the first step in any individual’s hearing healthcare journey be to get a hearing test with an audiologist, even if the patient will be purchasing OTC devices. In addition to getting a hearing test beforehand, patients should follow up with an audiologist if they find the OTC devices are not helping. Hearing aids aren’t hearing cures, and most folks require a level of in-person support to be successful with using them. An important aspect that is missing from the OTC delivery model is the support that an audiologist provides, such as helping patients reacquaint their brains to sound after experiencing hearing loss, called aural rehabilitation.
A baseline hearing test is recommended for folks over the age of 50 and for anyone who has a perceived change in their hearing and/or tinnitus. An audiologist will do a thorough, diagnostic evaluation to make sure there are no underlying, potentially treatable conditions causing the hearing loss and whether further consultation with a healthcare provider is needed.
We’re hopeful the community can help us reach anyone who has been wondering about their hearing regardless of age, to get it checked out now. Untreated hearing loss can have a significant impact on the quality of life for those experiencing it, such as social isolation. It is also associated with other conditions as well, such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.
We encourage the community to manage their hearing healthcare as they do other regular healthcare, like dental and eye care. Our recommendation is for all folks to make sure they get a baseline hearing test by age 50, understand the results and any recommendations, and have access to recommended communication solutions in a no-sales-pressure healthcare setting. We are hopeful that this launch of OTC hearing aids and the emphasis we’re trying to place on Audiology Awareness Month will lead to more folks experiencing the positive benefits of treating their hearing loss.
Dr. Jennifer Sowards is an audiologist and founder of Florence Hearing Health Care.
Dr. Jennifer Sowards is an audiologist and founder of Florence
Hearing Health Care.
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Dr. Jennifer Sowards is an audiologist and founder of Florence
Hearing Health Care.
Dr. Jennifer Sowards is an audiologist and founder of Florence
Hearing Health Care.
Dr. Jennifer Sowards is an audiologist and founder of Florence
Hearing Health Care.
