Test your hearing - sooner rather than later
International week of deaf people
Most people who suspect that they might have a hearing loss wait between seven and ten years before they ask for help, according to research.“However, the sooner you get your hearing tested, the better,” says Nico van der Merwe Sr., founder of the Ear Institute. “Even if you do not experience any sense of hearing loss, we would like to encourage people older than 60 to do a hearing test at least once a year, and those working in noisy environments at least every six months.”
However, there is an interesting and somewhat concerning new phenomenon on the rise.
“We have noticed that more and more younger people have to wear hearing aids as a result of living in noisy cities and due to the growing use of personal listening devices. In fact, some young people even sleep with earphones and music in their ears. This has a damaging effect on their hearing,” says Van der Merwe.
Yet all is not lost.
According to Van der Merwe, modern hearing aid technology has advanced to such an extent that people’s hearing can improve dramatically if they visit an audiologist early enough.
“These days, hearing aids are high-performance micro computers. They can easily be paired with other devices via Bluetooth for wearers to listen to music, adjust the volume, watch TV, or watch programmes on your phone or iPad. Hearing aids help to reduce loneliness, slow dementia, and improve quality of life,” Van der Merwe concludes.