LISTEN UP! YOU MAY NEED YOUR HEARING CHECKED: Friends and Family May Notice Your Hearing Loss Befor

From: Austin Hearing Services
Published: Wed May 12 2010


"What did you say?" "Come again." "Hold on a minute until I turn down the TV." These are a few phrases that might alert friends and family members to your hearing loss. In fact, loved ones just might become concerned about your hearing loss before you do.
"Surprisingly, it is quite common for a person to experience hearing loss over a period of time and not fully realize the degree of loss," warns Austin audiologist Dr. Margaret Hutchison. While hearing loss can be sudden, such as when an ear becomes plugged with wax, it can also develop over a number of months or even years. It is the latter progression which can leave the patient surprised by others’ insistence that he should "get his ears checked."
So when is it time to seek out the help of an audiologist? According to Austin Hearing Center’s Dr. Hutchison, there are several warning signs that should lead a person to seek the treatment of a licensed audiologist. "If you strain to understand friends, ask waiters to repeat themselves, or feel frustrated by the store clerk who ‘mumbles,’ it is time to see a specialist," advises Dr. Hutchison. "Missing the punch line of a joke, having to ask about the details of a meeting you attended, or playing the television at a volume that others find intolerable are additional red flags," adds Hutchison.
If you fear that a trip to the audiologist is in your future, do not feel alone. Three in ten people over the age of sixty have some form of hearing loss. But it is not just seniors who are affected. In fact, 65% of all people with hearing loss are less than sixty-five years of age.
Besides, a hearing test is a painless procedure. Following an interview about the environments in which you find yourself frustrated by your hearing, the audiologist will conduct a number of tests – all painless, even enjoyable to some patients. These include a physical exam of the ear, a pure tone hearing test, a speech test, and a "speech in noise" test.
If you do have significant loss, never fear. Gone are the days of the clunky hearing aid. Today most digital hearing aids are so small they are virtually invisible. And if you remember a parent who struggled with "feedback" or was frustrated by the increased background noise that earlier models delivered, fear not. Today’s hearing aids adjust to your listening environment and give you a sound quality that accurately mimics your hearing prior to your need for an aid.
So listen up and get your hearing checked today!

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For additional information go to http://www.austinhearingservices.com/index.php. To schedule an interview with Dr. Margaret Hutchison, please call Austin Hearing Center at 512-656-3611or e-mail Dr. Hutchison at austinhearing@aol.com
Company: Austin Hearing Services
Contact Name: hearingaustintx
Contact Email: hearingaustintx@gmail.com
Contact Phone: 512-656-3611

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