Make your hearing part of your annual wellness routine with these 6 helpful tips from Beltone Audiologist, Dr. Kathy McGowan, AuD CCC-A

Most New Year’s Resolutions revolve around taking better care of one’s health, but many don’t factor in hearing as part of their overall wellness routine. More and more studies are showing the impact hearing health plays as untreated hearing loss is co-morbid with other health issues such as an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, social isolation, falls, and even diseases such as diabetes.

In fact, hearing loss is one of the most modifiable risk factors in these comorbidities and with research showing that on average people tend to wait up to five years before taking action to treat hearing loss, it’s time to prioritize your hearing health in 2023! Check out my six tips below to help you start your journey to better hearing in the New Year.

6 tips to help you achieve your New EARS Resolution:

1. Step out of your comfort zone by scheduling a hearing screening and asking for help from a hearing care professional. They will be able to determine your current hearing health and provide you with the recommended next steps should you have hearing loss. If your hearing is fine right now, it’s still important to include hearing exams as part of your annual wellness routine, just as you would for your eyes or dental, so you can stay on top of your hearing health each year. Most hearing care centers, including Beltone, offer free hearing screenings.
2. Protect and preserve your hearing by keeping sound levels below 85 decibels, wear hearing protection when loud noises can’t be avoided, and take breaks away from loud sounds when possible. There are apps available to download that help you check the sound levels of your surrounding environment.
3. If you have hearing loss, wear hearing aids that are prescribed for your hearing loss type. Hearing aids are life-changing for those who use them as they not only help you hear better but also improve your mental health, decrease your risk of cognitive decline, lower your risk of falls, improve your social life, and reduce tinnitus symptoms and risk of co-morbidities such as dementia.
4. Explore hearing aid options. With the new FDA over-the-counter hearing aid regulation, hearing aids are more accessible and affordable than ever, however, 4 out 5 people with hearing loss never experience the life-changing benefits they can bring. OTC hearing aids are an effective option and a great first step for those with mild-to-moderate and situational hearing loss and prescription hearing aids are a better choice for any hearing loss type if you’re in need of more advanced technology that only a hearing care professional can provide.
5. Take good care of your overall health through a balanced diet and exercise. Include green leafy veggies, healthy fatty fish like tuna and salmon, and low-fat dairy products and lean proteins into your diet.
6. And if you’re a smoker, try to ditch the habit as a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found smokers are 70% more likely to have issues with hearing loss than non-smokers.

Better hearing is better living, which is why hearing health is so important and why allowing hearing loss to go untreated can have a negative impact on your quality of life. The impact goes well beyond missing a few words in conversations and having to ask people to repeat what they say as an inability to hear words clearly can negatively affect your family, social, and work lives, as well as harm your overall health.

Fortunately, help and solutions are available to get you on your journey to better hearing in the New Year as science shows hearing aids significantly improve the quality of life of those who are hearing-impaired. Hearing aid wearers have reported an increased sense of control and independence, improved mood with reduced feelings of depression and anxiety, stronger relationships with loved ones, reduced social isolation, and more productivity in the workplace.

OTC hearing aids provide greater access to hearing devices, however, it’s always best to seek advice from a hearing care professional first to determine your hearing health and hearing loss type if you have one. You can schedule a free hearing screening at your local Beltone Hearing Care Center at Beltone.com and one of our providers will be able to work with you to find the right solution for your budget, lifestyle, and hearing loss type so you can experience all that life has to offer in 2023 and beyond!

Kathy McGowan, AuD CCC-A, has been a practicing Doctor of Audiology with Beltone for over 16 years having received her Audiology Doctorate from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences. As an Audiologist, Dr. McGowan evaluates, diagnoses, and treats hearing loss, balance issues, and tinnitus. She is passionate about hearing health care, hearing loss prevention and treatment, and helping her patients to hear better via the latest Beltone hearing aids and technology.