Release on Better Hearing Month FNL AM Edits 5.01.17

NEWSContact: VickiBendure

FORIMMEDIATERELEASEBendureCommunications,Inc.

540-687-3360o/202-374-9259c

TheAmericanAcademyofAudiologyRecommendsaHearingCheckDuring

May’sNationalBetterHearingMonth

Americansimpactedbyhearinglosshitsrecordnumbers

RESTON,Va.,May1,2017—MayisNationalBetterHearingMonthandtheAmericanAcademyofAudiologyisencouragingthepublictomakeanappointmentwithanaudiologistiftheysuspecthearinglossforthemselvesoranyoftheirlovedones.

Asthebabyboomerpopulationages,moreAmericansareforcedtofacehearinghealthchallenges.AccordingtotheNationalInstitutesofHealthNIDCD,approximately15percent(37.5million)ofAmericanadultsaged20to69havesometroublewithhearingandapproximately28.8millioncouldbenefitfromtheuseofhearingaids.

Whileageisstillthegreatestfactorinhearingloss,manyyoungerpeoplealsoexperience

hearingproblemsduetoexposuretoloudmusicandnoisesincludingoccupationalnoise.Amongadultsaged70andolderwithhearinglosswhocouldbenefitfromhearingaids,fewerthanone

inthree(30percent)haseverusedthem.Withadultsaged20to69onlyapproximately16percentofthosewhowouldbenefitfromhearingaidshaseverusedthem.

“Althoughtechnologyhasprogressedextensivelyandhearingaidsarenolongerthebulkycontraptionsofyearspast,somepeoplestillfeelastigmawiththem,”statedTanyaTolpegin,executivedirectoroftheAmericanAcademyofAudiology.Sheexplainedthatmanyhearingaidsarenotevendetectable.

“Audiologistsaretheexpertsinhearinghealth,”Tolpeginsaid.“Hearingaidsarenotalwaystheonlyorrecommendedsolution,whichiswhyit’simportanttoseeanaudiologisttofurtherdeterminetheappropriatetreatment.”Sometimesthecauseistemporaryorasymptomofanotherillnessordisease.Anaudiologistwillrunvariousteststodeterminethecauseandwillbeabletorecommendtreatment.TheAcademyrepresentsmorethan12,000audiologistsacrossthe

countryandhasanextensive“FindanAudiologist”directory,wherebyconsumerscanlocateaudiologistsbasedingeographyandspecialtyareas.

Somesignsofhearinglossmayinclude:

Suddenlyhavingtoturnupthevolumeofthetelevision,radio,orstereoandhavingotherfamilymemberscomplainthatthevolumeistooloud.

Difficultyunderstandingpeoplespeakingtoyouandaskingpeopletorepeatthemselves.

Difficultywithphoneconversationsandunderstandingtheotherperson.

Suddeninabilitytohearthedoorbell,thedogbarking,andotherhouseholdsounds.

Peopletellingyouthatyouspeaktooloudly.

Ringingintheears.

School-agedchildrenwithhearinglosswillsometimesexhibitpoorschoolperformancebecausetheycan’tunderstandtheteacherassignmentsorclassroominteractions.Ifhearinglosshasbeenpresentfromayoungage,theyoftendon’trecognizethelossandcan’tidentifytheproblem.

“Hearinglossisaproblemwithpeopleofallages,”saidTolpegin.“Ifyouoranyofyourfamilymembersexperiencedifficultyinhearing,youshouldmakeanappointmentwithanaudiologist.”

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TheAmericanAcademyofAudiologyistheworld'slargestprofessionalorganizationof,byandforaudiologists.Theactivemembershipofmorethan12,000isdedicatedtoprovidingqualityhearingcareservicesthroughprofessionaldevelopment,education,research,andincreasedpublicawarenessofhearingandbalancedisorders.Formoreinformationortofindanaudiologist,goto