Expert ADVICE
The Importance of Hearing Well
Karen & Cliff Phillips Owners
Sandia Hearing Aids 3454 Zafarano Dr. Unit B Santa Fe 505.988.1984 SandiaHearingCenter.com
W
hen you can’t hear soft voices and the TV keeps getting louder, or the noise in restaurants is louder than the person’s voice at your table, it may be time to take action. You might be one of more than 30 million Americans—over 13 percent of the population—who experience difficulty hearing in both ears. And approximately 48 million people have hearing loss in at least one ear according to a study published in the archives of Internal Medicine. This study also found that hearing loss doubled with each decade of life. Deficient hearing has been linked to a greater risk of dementia, poor cognitive function and falls in elderly individuals. Research conducted at the University of Washington’s Department of Medicine reviewed 100 cases of Alzheimer’s disease, comparing those cases to the general population. The research indicated nearly 83 percent of those hospitalized for dementia had hearing loss. It is very important to note that, once fit with hearing aids, 33 percent of those
individuals were classified as having less severe dementia.
conversation and respond appropriately to their doctor.
Since we collect sound with our ears and process those sounds in our brain, over time and without hearing assistance, we can lose the ability to understand the spoken word. This documented process is called auditory deprivation. According to Teri James Bellis, PhD, in her landmark book on auditory processing disorder entitled “When the Brain Can’t Hear,” as sound travels through an imperfect auditory pathway, words spoken to the afflicted listener may become jumbled, distorting original meaning and rendering words unintelligible.
Hearing loss is often referred to as the invisible disability because the loss happens slowly over time and may go unnoticed for years. Although there is no cure for certain forms of hearing loss, many people can be helped, especially when the hearing problem is recognized and treated early. Wearing amplification (hearing aids) has been shown to help preserve the remaining hearing and speech clarity. For these reasons, it is essential to have an annual hearing test along with all of the other routine medical exams performed each year. At Sandia Hearing, we are glad to provide complimentary hearing tests and consultations by appointment. Call 505988-1984 to schedule your appointment and please mention this article. Our goal at Sandia Hearing is to continue to help as many people as we can by providing professional service tailored to each individual’s specific circumstances. We would like to be your hometown choice for your hearing health care.
When you think about a conversation with all the sounds, inflections and tempo changes, you realize how complicated communication can be. When hearing loss is present and left untreated, the ability to follow conversation becomes extremely difficult. Without receiving the appropriate stimuli, the brain stops processing sounds like background noise and can no longer filter speech clearly. In some cases, people have been “misdiagnosed” with Alzheimer’s disease because they were unable to follow the
Please find out more about Sandia Hearing at www.SandiaHearingCenter.com.