Indy Boomer 2014.pdf May 2014 | Page 31

May is National Hearing Awareness Month Of our five senses, we tend to take our hearing most for granted. Think about it for a minute. We would know immediately if we could no longer see or see well. If something is hot, we know not to touch it, if something has an offensive smell, we move away, and if something tastes bad, we know immediately not to try another bite. Our hearing health is seldom considered unless we experience a sudden event or have an earache. Hearing loss generally occurs very gradually and sneaks up on us unless we monitor it regularly with a hearing test. The problem is real and once lost, your hearing does not recover without aid. Hearing loss can have significant effects on your health and lifestyle. Here are a few interesting statistics. • • 70% of teens play music too loudly 1 in 6 adolescents have a high frequency loss presents a risk • Hearing loss development and to childhood obesity impacts relation• Hearing lossactivity, career ships, social development and lifestyle people aids have shown • 15% of hearingages 41 – 59 • Hearing cognitive function ѽ