You will still visit your eye doctor yearly even if you already use eyeglasses. Because, as time passes, your eyes change. Nothing in your body is fixed, not your eyes and not, as it happens, your ears either. That’s why, even after you’ve purchased hearing aids, it’s essential to continue to get your ears assessed much like you would with your eyes.
Many individuals, regrettably, neglect those yearly appointments. Maybe a trip to their doctor is taking a back seat to enjoying life. Or, it could be that your job has been hectic 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 tested
Let’s take Daphne as an imaginary example. For some time now, Daphne has detected some warning signs associated with her hearing. Her TV volume continues to get louder. She has difficulty following discussions at after-work happy hours in noisy restaurants. And so, she goes to get her hearing assessed (because she’s smart and she takes care of herself).
Daphne makes sure to follow all of the instructions to manage her hearing impairment: she gets fitted for new hearing aids and has them properly calibrated, and then goes back to her regular routine.
Problem solved? Well, maybe not completely. It’s fantastic that Daphne went in for a hearing screening and discovered her hearing issues early. But, over time, follow-up care becomes almost more significant for individuals with even minor hearing loss. Daphne would be doing herself a favor by going to regular appointments. However, one study found that only around 33% of seniors with hearing aids get regular check-ups so Daphne isn’t by herself.
Why do you need check-ups after you get hearing aids?
Alright, remember our glasses metaphor? Daphne’s hearing won’t become static and stop changing just because she uses hearing aids. It’s essential to adjust the hearing aids to deal with those changes. Routine testing helps monitor any changes in hearing and catch issues early.
And that isn’t even the only reason why it may be a good idea to keep routine appointments after you get your hearing aids. Here are a few of the most important reasons:
- Hearing degeneration: Even with a hearing aid, your hearing could keep deteriorating. If this degeneration is slow enough, you most likely won’t recognize it’s happening without the aid of a hearing test. Hearing loss can frequently be slowed by appropriately fine-tuning your hearing aids.
- Hearing aid calibration: Your hearing changes in small ways, and while your general hearing may remain stable, these small changes may require you to get regular hearing tests. Without this calibration, your hearing aids could slowly become less and less useful.
- 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 well is a significant part of your regular check-ups.
Hazards and hurdles
The ultimate concern here is that eventually, the hearing aids Daphne is using will quit working the way they’re supposed to, so she’ll get frustrated with them and stop wearing them altogether. Using hearing aids helps slow down hearing loss over time. If you stop wearing them, not only can your hearing deteriorate faster, you might not notice it right away.
If you want your hearing aids to continue working at an optimal level, routine check-ups are going to be your best option in terms of attaining that. Yearly hearing tests or screenings can help you make sure your hearing aids are functioning as they should and that your hearing stays protected.