You will still visit your eye doctor yearly even if you already use eyeglasses. Because, as time passes, your eyes change. Like the rest of your body, your eyes aren’t static and neither are your ears. That’s why, much like your eyes, it’s essential to keep getting your ears tested even after you’ve invested in a nice pair of hearing aids.
Many individuals, regrettably, skip those yearly appointments. Perhaps they’ve been too occupied enjoying their lives to get back in to see the doctor. Or, it could be that your job has been stressful lately. Or perhaps, you’ve just been so pleased with your hearing aids that you haven’t had a reason to go back in. That should be a good thing, right?
Getting your hearing checked
Let’s take Daphne as an imaginary example. For some time now, Daphne has detected some symptoms with her hearing. Her TV volume continues to get louder. When she goes out after work to a noisy restaurant, she has a hard time following discussions. And because she likes to take care of herself, and she’s smart, she schedules a hearing test.
Daphne makes certain to follow all of the steps to manage her hearing impairment: she gets fitted for new hearing aids and has them correctly calibrated, and then gets back to her regular routine.
Issue solved? Well, maybe not completely. It’s great that Daphne went in for a hearing exam and caught her hearing issues early. But for most individuals with hearing loss, even a small one, follow-up care becomes even more vital in the long run. Maintaining routine appointments would be a smart idea for Daphne. But Daphne isn’t alone in neglected check-ups, according to one study, just 33% of seniors with hearing aids also maintained routine hearing services.
Why do you need check-ups once you have hearing aids?
Remember when we used the glasses metaphor earlier? Just because Daphne uses hearing aids now doesn’t mean her hearing will become static and stop changing. Her hearing aids will need to be fine-tuned to account for those changes. Regular testing helps keep track of any changes in hearing and detect issues early.
And that isn’t even the only reason why it may be a smart idea to keep regular appointments once you have your hearing aids. Here are a few of the most significant reasons:
- Hearing aid calibration: Your hearing changes in slight ways, and while your general hearing may remain stable, these slight changes may require you to get regular hearing examinations. Your hearing aid may become less and less efficient if you avoid this calibration.
- Hearing deterioration: Even with a hearing aid, your hearing could continue to deteriorate. If this degeneration is slow enough, you probably won’t recognize it’s happening without the aid of a hearing test. Correct alterations to your hearing aids can often slow hearing loss.
- Your fit may change: Because your ears are always changing, it’s quite possible that the way your hearing aids fit around and in your ears will change. Making sure your hearing aids continue to fit well is a significant part of your regular check-ups.
Dangers and roadblocks
The problem is, Daphne may, in her frustration, stop using her hearing aids altogether because they’re not working correctly. Over time, hearing loss can be slowed by using hearing aids. Your hearing will decline faster if you quit using your hearing aids and you probably won’t even notice it.
If you want your hearing aids to keep working at an optimal level, routine check-ups are going to be your best option in terms of attaining that. Protect your hearing and ensure your hearing aids are properly working by getting regular screenings.