Our senses are integral to how we perceive and navigate through the world. This is why ensuring that these are in the best condition is paramount for us to enjoy life to its fullest.
Many people are quick to get corrective glasses when their vision starts to deteriorate.
However, this cannot be said for those who might be suffering from hearing loss.
Hearing loss is inevitable, but you can do early intervention to address it. “The most common age-related hearing loss is called presbycusis. It comes on gradually to an individual as they get older. Age-related hearing loss is not just a difficulty of hearing. It also affects speech processing and discrimination or the ability to understand speech in a quiet setting. Many factors contribute to presbycusis such as the environment, heredity, medications, and noise exposure,” Manila Hearing Aid Clinical Training Manager Joanna Jane Ong explained.
Ong added that several scenarios could show signs of hearing loss, such as request from a person to repeat the words you’ve just said; a loud voice when speaking; scooping their ears to better hear another person talking; significantly louder television volume; and withdrawal from socialization because of difficulty in following conversations.
In the event of severe hearing loss, patients can be outfitted with hearing aids. For worse cases, surgical procedures can also be done.
“In some patients who are not able to hear well with hearing aids, they can also consult ENT doctors about cochlear implants. However, we should also consider the age of the patient, health status and financial capacity. Same with the hearing aids, cochlear implants do not cure hearing loss, but they provide the opportunity to perceive sound by bypassing the damaged inner ear,” Ong explained.
Taking care of your hearing wellness starts with taking simple lifestyle changes. These include simple habits such as keeping your ear dry to avoid bacterial build up; and refraining from using cotton buds to pick earwax which may lead to clogging your ears.
Other preventive measures include keeping the volume down when watching something or listening to music, using hearing protection when in a noisy environment, and having regular hearing check-ups with a trusted clinic.
Hearing tests help individuals understand their current state of hearing. There are various hearing tests that can be done to determine hearing loss like Impedance audiometry to assess the middle ear and tympanic membrane; Puretone audiometry to identify the type and degree of hearing loss, Speech audiometry to assess the patient’s ability to recognize speech, to name a few.