Empowering Clients to Make Decisions About their Hearing Health

March the 3rd is World Hearing Day. World Hearing Day increases public awareness about the importance of ear and hearing care as an integral part of overall health and well-being, while reducing the stigma associated with hearing loss. This is important given that hearing loss can negatively affect every aspect of a person’s life, and significant numbers of people in Australia and worldwide are affected by hearing loss. This year’s World Hearing Day theme is: Changing mindsets: Empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a reality for all! At Find My Hearing Care, our independent clinics are passionate about providing independent, unbiased advice to our clients to empower them to make decisions about their hearing that are right for them.

How Big is the Problem of Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss can have significant effects on a person’s life. These effects spread well beyond simply struggling to hear what is said. Hearing loss can contribute to relationship breakdowns, mental health issues, social isolation, cognitive difficulties, poorer economic outcomes, and more. Worldwide, by 2030, over 500 million people are expected to have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation.1 In Australia, about 3.6 million people currently have some level of hearing loss. This is expected to rise to 7.8 million people by 2060.2

It is safe to say, that given how widespread hearing loss is, and how significant its effects are, the problem of hearing loss in our society is huge. This is why empowering people to make decisions about both protecting their hearing, and treating their hearing loss is important.

Protecting Your Hearing

There are many factors which can affect a person’s hearing. We do not have much control over some of these, such as genetics and aging. However, other factors, such as exposure to noise, can often be avoided to protect our hearing and prevent hearing loss. Noise exposure is one of the most preventable forms of hearing loss. Previously, this primarily came from exposure to noise in the workplace. While workplace noise exposure can still be an issue, an increasing problem around noise exposure is that caused by hobbies. Currently, over one billion young people worldwide are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to the noise exposure through listening to music and playing video games. By adopting safe listening practice, this risk can be reduced.

The independent clinics that are a part of Find My Hearing Clinic are about more than just hearing tests and hearing aids. The independent hearing care professionals in Find My Hearing Clinic also educate people about their hearing and how to protect it. This can be through education on the impact of noise on hearing, and advising how to protect hearing through safe listening practices and the use of specialised earplugs.

Did you know that the type of earplug best suited to protect your hearing can depend on your activity? This means the best earplugs for you may be different if you play in a band, compared to if you are a shooter. If you engage in noisy activities, our independent hearing clinics can advise you on the best type of hearing protection based on what you need them for.

Treating Hearing Loss

Protecting your hearing is essential, but addressing hearing loss is also crucial. Treating your hearing loss can mitigate its consequences so you can live your life to the fullest. However, treating hearing loss is not a one-size fits all approach. With developments in technology, a range of options are available to address hearing loss. For some people, information and training in hearing strategies is the best option, for others it is hearing aids or cochlear implants. There is also a vast array of accessories that can be used in conjunction with technology or on their own to help a person mitigate the effects of hearing loss.

The Role of Independent Hearing Clinics in Empowering Yourself

One of the reasons it is important to attend an independent hearing clinic for your hearing care is because our independent hearing care professionals can provide you with the best options available for your specific circumstances and empower you to decide how to treat your hearing loss. As independent clinics we are not restricted to products from a particular brand but can recommend the best products for your specific needs. We are also not governed by sales targets which means we can recommend a range of solutions, including but not limited to hearing aids. By seeing an independent clinic, you empower yourself to make the best decisions for your hearing care.

Whether you would like information on how to protect your hearing or treat an existing hearing loss, seeing an independent hearing clinic will empower you to make decisions about your hearing care.  If you want to be empowered to take care of your hearing, we recommend you contact your local independent hearing care professional and book an appointment at your local independent hearing clinic. You can find your local clinic through the Find My Hearing Clinic – Clinic Locator