You will still visit your eye doctor every year even if you already wear eyeglasses. Because, over time, your eyes change. Like the rest of your body, your eyes aren’t fixed and neither are your ears. That’s why, much like your eyes, it’s essential to keep getting your ears examined even after you’ve invested in a nice pair of hearing aids.
Unfortunately, many people skip those routine check-ups. Maybe a visit to their doctor is taking a back seat to enjoying life. Or perhaps, work has been especially hectic this year. Or perhaps, you’ve just been so happy with your hearing aids that you haven’t felt the need to go back in. It seems like that would be good, right?
Scheduling a hearing exam
Let’s take Daphne as an imaginary example. Daphne has been noticing some red flags associated with her hearing for some time now. Her TV volume continues to get louder. When she goes out after work to a loud restaurant, she has difficulty following discussions. And because she likes to take care of herself, and she’s smart, she schedules a hearing test.
After having her hearing examined, Daphne does everything she is supposed to: she purchases hearing aids, which are then correctly fitted and calibrated, and then she gets on with her life.
Problem solved? Well, maybe not completely. It’s fantastic that Daphne went in for a hearing exam and discovered her hearing issues early. But, in the long run, follow-up care becomes even more significant for individuals with even minor hearing loss. Daphne would be doing herself a favor by keeping routine appointments. However, one study revealed that only around 33% of senior citizens with hearing aids get routine check-ups so Daphne isn’t by herself.
If you already have hearing aids, why do you need regular hearing exams?
Okay, remember our glasses metaphor? Daphne’s hearing won’t become static and stop changing just because she has hearing aids. It’s necessary to adjust the hearing aids to deal with those changes. Any hearing changes can be detected early with regular monitoring.
And that isn’t even the only reason why it might be a good idea to keep routine appointments after you get your hearing aids. Some of the most prevailing reasons to ensure you get to your next appointment include:
- Your fit may change: It’s likely that there will be a change in the way your hearing aids fit as your ears are always changing. Making sure your hearing aids continue to fit properly is a big part of your regular exam.
- Hearing degeneration: Even with a hearing aid, your hearing may keep deteriorating. If this deterioration is slow enough, you most likely won’t recognize it’s happening without the aid of a hearing exam. Hearing decline can frequently be slowed by correctly adjusting your hearing aids.
- Hearing aid calibration: While your overall hearing health may continue to be stable, slight changes in your hearing may create the need for yearly calibration of your hearing aid. Without this calibration, your hearing aids may slowly become less and less useful.
Hazards and roadblocks
The problem is, Daphne may, in her frustration, quit using her hearing aids entirely because they’re not functioning correctly. Wearing hearing aids helps slow down hearing loss over time. Your hearing will deteriorate faster if you stop wearing your hearing aids and you probably won’t even notice it.
If you want your hearing aids to continue working at an optimal level, routine exams are going to be your best bet in terms of attaining that. Protect your hearing and ensure your hearing aids are properly working by having routine screenings.
