Hearing Health Top of Mind during Better Speech and Hearing Month

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - May 15, 2015 - PRLog -- In the United States, approximately 40 million individuals have some form of hearing loss. Of those individuals, 26 million of them have noise-induced hearing loss that could have been prevented. While many people believe that hearing loss is an issue that only affects those over a certain age, in actuality, over 60% of the people with hearing loss are either in the workforce or in an educational setting.

“Hearing loss is something that people of all ages deal with though individuals frequently delay admitting that it’s an issue,” said Glenn Bird, owner of Zounds Hearing of Chattanooga. “The average person waits 7 years to address a hearing loss. Imagine all the moments in life you can miss in 7 years.”

Each year, if you are over the age of 55, you should have a hearing screening. However, given that the majority of those with hearing loss are actually still in the workforce or in educational settings, it’s important not to ignore your hearing just because you are under the age of 55. Consider for a moment if any of the following apply to you, and if so you may need a hearing screening:

-Were you or are you in the military?

-Do you or have you in the past consistently used earbuds or headphones?

-Do you find yourself turning up the TV or radio in order to hear?

-Do you find that people seem to mumble a lot?

-Do you have a hard time hearing others when conversing in a restaurant or business meeting?

-Do you or have you in the past worked in a factory environment?

-Do you or did you in the past enjoy hunting?

-Are you a firefighter, policeman, or paramedic?

It is important to take care of your hearing. Studies from Johns Hopkins show that hearing loss is linked to many things, including an increased risk of dementia, an increased risk of balance and fall issues, and more hospitalizations. Hearing loss is also linked to depression, anger and social isolation.

Additionally, hearing loss and cardiovascular health have been shown to have a connection. Some experts believe that as the inner ear is so sensitive to blood flow, it’s possible that issues with the heart can be noted earlier in the ear than in other parts of the body that are less sensitive.

“Helping people regain a better quality of life is truly a joy,” says Mr. Bird. “Not only are they hearing better, suddenly they are able to be more actively involved in their own lives – be it conversing with a beloved family member, enjoying a live theater production or just watching a favorite television show.”

About Zounds Hearing: Zounds Hearing, utilizing internally developed research and 57 exclusive patents, is the fastest growing hearing aid company in the United States. Zounds Hearing designs, manufactures and retails high-performance hearing aids for use with mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing impairments.

About Zounds Hearing of Chattanooga: Zounds Hearing of Chattanooga is the exclusive seller of all products that utilize Zounds Hearing technology in the Chattanooga area. The store hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers free hearing tests, hearing screenings and consultations and fittings for hearing aids. For more information or to schedule a free hearing test, call (423)933-3654 or www.zoundschattanooga.com.