You will still visit your eye doctor yearly even if you already use eyeglasses. Because your eyes change as time passes. Nothing in your body is static, not your eyes and not, as it happens, your ears either. That’s why, just as it is with your eyes, it’s crucial to keep getting your ears tested even after you’ve purchased a quality pair of hearing aids.
Unfortunately, many people skip those regular check-ups. Perhaps a visit 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 simply decided to not go back in because you’re so satisfied with your hearing aids. It seems as if that would be good, right?
Scheduling a hearing test
Let’s take Daphne as an imaginary example. Daphne has been noticing some red flags associated with her hearing for a while now. She keeps turning the TV up. When she goes out after work to a loud restaurant, she has difficulty following conversations. And because she likes to take care of herself, and she’s smart, she schedules a hearing exam.
Daphne makes certain to follow all of the instructions to manage her hearing impairment: she gets fitted for new hearing aids and has them precisely calibrated, and then goes back to her normal routine.
Problem solved? Well, maybe not entirely. Going in for an exam allowed her to recognize her hearing loss early and that’s excellent. But, in the long run, follow-up care becomes almost more significant for individuals with even minor hearing loss. Maintaining routine appointments would be a smart idea for Daphne. But Daphne’s not alone in neglected check-ups, based on one survey, only 33% of seniors using hearing aids also scheduled regular hearing services.
Why do you need check-ups once you get hearing aids?
Okay, remember our glasses metaphor? Just because Daphne has hearing aids now doesn’t mean her hearing will become fixed and stop changing. Her hearing aids will have to be adjusted to counter those changes. Periodic testing helps track any changes in hearing and catch problems early.
And that isn’t even the only reason why it may be a smart idea to keep routine appointments once you have your hearing aids. Some of the most prevailing reasons to make sure 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. Regular hearing tests can help ensure that your hearing aids continue to fit the way they’re supposed to.
- Hearing aid calibration: While your general hearing health might remain stable, slight changes in your hearing might produce the need for yearly calibration of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid could become less and less effective if you avoid this calibration.
- Hearing degeneration: Your hearing could continue to deteriorate even if you have hearing aids. Often, this degeneration of your hearing is quite slow and without routine screenings, you most likely won’t even detect it. Appropriate adjustments to your hearing aids can frequently slow hearing loss.
Dangers and roadblocks
The issue is, Daphne may, in her frustration, stop using her hearing aids entirely because they’re not working properly. Over time, hearing loss can be slowed by using hearing aids. If you quit using them, not only can your hearing diminish faster, you may not notice it right away.
If you want your hearing aids to keep working at an optimal level, regular check-ups are going to be your best option in terms of attaining that. Safeguard your hearing and make sure your hearing aids are effectively working by getting routine screenings.