PLYMOUTH, MN--(Marketwire - April 21, 2010) - May is Better Speech and Hearing Month, and Miracle-Ear hearing centers are offering tips to help people find out if they should have their hearing evaluated.
Rebecca Younk, audiologist for Miracle-Ear, suggests individuals take the following self test, provided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), if they suspect they are suffering from hearing loss:
- Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?
- Do you have trouble following the conversation with two or more people are talking at the same time?
- Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
- Do you have to strain to understand conversation?
- Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?
- Do you have dizziness, pain, or ringing in your ears?
- Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?
- Do family members or co-workers remark about your missing what has been said?
- Do you misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
- Do you have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
Younk says that if you or anyone you know can answer "yes" to more than two of these questions, then a hearing test should be scheduled at a trusted hearing care provider, such as those available at Miracle-Ear hearing centers.
"Hearing loss is more prevalent than people suspect. In fact, the Better Hearing Institute reports that more than 31 million Americans suffer from the condition," said Younk. "There is no reason for so many people to go through life with a hearing impairment. Testing and treatment are available, and can drastically improve the quality of life for people with diminished hearing."
Younk adds that impaired hearing should be viewed as more than just an inconvenience -- it's an actual health condition that can affect people's day-to-day activities, including work, social interactions and family life.
Offering a comprehensive hearing assessment that includes a complete hearing health history, ear canal inspection, hearing threshold test and speech discrimination test, Miracle-Ear works with individuals to determine and meet their individual needs.
For information about Miracle-Ear, please visit http://www.miracle-ear.com/.