Hear this News

Today let’s take a look at some recent news about hearing loss.

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

A recent U.S. News article walks through how hearing loss happens and how to seek out help. Starting with the basics of how we hear, this article points out that while there are many factors that affect our hearing health, hearing loss can also be part of the normal aging process. Another risk factor for hearing loss is noise exposure. Protecting your hearing from noise exposure throughout your life can help you maintain better hearing health as you grow older.

The article also included this interesting statistic: just 20% of people with significant hearing loss actually seek out help. While hearing loss is common, this statistic shows that getting help is not. Getting help for your hearing loss starts with a simple phone call to schedule a hearing screening. A screening is quick and pain-less but is an important first step for helping your hearing care professional or primary care doctor determine how well you are hearing so they can recommend next steps. Because hearing loss is gradual, the change can be subtle and go unnoticed. Regular screenings help to establish a baseline to catch hearing loss early.

And the Oscar Goes to…. Hearing Health!

The past couple of months have focused on award shows from the big screen to the small screen. HearingHealth.com highlights several award-winning actors who also have hearing loss:

• Oscar winning actress Marlee Matlin
• Oscar and Emmy winning actress Halle Barry
• Oscar winning actress Whoopie Goldberg

Whoopie Goldberg’s hearing loss is actually noise-induced hearing loss, which 40 million Americans suffer from. The actress attributes the cause of her hearing loss to, “years and years of listening to music so loudly and so close to the eardrum.” This is a good reminder for us all to pack along hearing protection when heading to a concert and to turn the volume down when using earbuds or headphones.