Even if you use glasses (the type you put on your face, not the kind you fill with liquid), you still see your eye doctor yearly, 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, even after you’ve purchased hearing aids, it’s important to consistently have your ears assessed much like you would with your eyes.
Many people, unfortunately, skip those yearly appointments. Perhaps they’ve been too busy enjoying their lives to get back in to see the doctor. Or, it could be that your job has been stressful lately. Or perhaps, you’ve just been so satisfied with your hearing aids that you haven’t had a reason to go back in. It seems as if that would be good, right?
Scheduling a hearing test
Let’s use Daphne as our imaginary stand-in. Daphne has been detecting some red flags related to her hearing for a while now. Her TV volume continues to get louder. When she goes out after work to a loud restaurant, she has difficulty following discussions. And so, she goes to get her hearing tested (because she’s smart and she takes care of herself).
Daphne makes certain to follow all of the steps to manage her hearing impairment: she purchases hearing aids, which are then precisely fitted and calibrated, and then she goes on with her life.
Issue solved? Well, not quite. Going in for a screening allowed her to catch her hearing loss early and that’s excellent. But, over time, follow-up care becomes almost more important for individuals with even minor hearing loss. Keeping up on regular appointments would be a smart idea for Daphne. However, one study found that only about 33% of senior citizens with hearing aids get routine check-ups so Daphne isn’t by herself.
Why do you need check-ups once you get hearing aids?
Remember when we used the glasses metaphor earlier? Daphne’s hearing won’t become static and stop changing just because she uses hearing aids. Her hearing aids will have to be adjusted to account for those changes. Periodic testing helps keep track of any changes in hearing and detect issues early.
And there are other benefits to having routine hearing assessments once you get hearing aids. Here are a few of the most important reasons:
- Hearing aid calibration: While your general hearing health might remain stable, slight changes in your hearing may create the need for annual calibration of your hearing aid. Without this calibration, your hearing aids could slowly become less and less useful.
- Hearing degeneration: Even with a hearing aid, your hearing may continue to deteriorate. Often, this degeneration of your hearing is quite gradual and without routine screenings, you most likely won’t even recognize it. Hearing loss can often be slowed by appropriately fine-tuning your hearing aids.
- Your fit may change: It’s possible that there will be a shift in the way your hearing aids fit as your ears are always changing. Making certain your hearing aids continue to fit properly is a big part of your regular exam.
Dangers and hurdles
The problem is, Daphne could, in her frustration, stop using her hearing aids altogether because they’re not working correctly. Over time, hearing loss can be slowed by using hearing aids. Your hearing will deteriorate faster if you quit wearing your hearing aids and you most likely won’t even notice it.
If you want your hearing aids to continue working at an optimal level, routine check-ups are going to be your best option in terms of attaining that. Yearly hearing tests or screenings can help you make sure your hearing aids are working as they should and that your hearing stays protected.