May: Better Speech & Hearing Month Written By: Tamsyn Baumgartner
BETTER SPEECH & HEARING MONTH
By: Tamsyn Baumgartner
Audiology Assistant
May is Better Speech and Hearing Month, and it is important to be aware of how crucial your hearing health is. Hearing health is not something most people think about, I know I didn’t before I started working at Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus. I was like most people, I thought hearing loss only impacted a small part of the population, one that I was not a part of. However, I was very wrong, hearing loss can happen at any age and to anybody.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 15% of American adults aged 18 and over report some trouble with hearing. That 15% is about 37.5 million people and typically 18% of adults aged 20-69 experience hearing loss from non-work-related noise exposure. Even though people are experiencing hearing loss, only 2 in 10 adults have had their hearing tested in the past five years. Compare this to the 6 in 10 adults who have had their vision tested in that time. There are noticeable differences in how people treat certain parts of their health. It is time that we start taking our hearing health seriously.
Since I have began working for Northwest Hearing and Tinnitus, I have become a big advocate for hearing health. Our ears can tell us so much about our health and are one of the ways we connect with the world. I am pushing the people in my life to take their hearing more seriously by encouraging them to get regular hearing tests, wear noise protection at recreational events, and to listen to those around them. Communication is a two-way street and by taking care of your hearing you will be helping yourself and those around you.
It is so important to take care of your hearing in any way you can. What you can do to protect your hearing is get regular hearing tests based on your needs, whether this is every year to every three years. Reach out to your local audiologist today to see how you can advocate for your hearing health.