The Daily DispaTch
ResouRce DiRectoRy
2011-2012
19
Hearing loss and your health BY DEBORAH TWISDALE AND LARA “KOTTY” GRAY lOcal heaRiNG healThcaRe pROViDeRs
Untreated hearing loss can lead to social embarrassment, depression, isolation, loneliness, physical discomfort and loss of wages. Have you ever been sitting in a busy restaurant surrounded by family or friends and couldn’t understand a word they were saying? There is a world of difference between “pass the peas” and “catsup please!” Do you know most people who have lost some of their hearing have difficulty understanding conversation in noisy environments? You are driving down the road with a friend in the car. All of a sudden the friend says, “Can you please turn off the turn signal? It’s driving me crazy!” You didn’t even realize it was still clicking away. Are going to family gatherings, taking trips with friends, attending church or golfing with your buddies
a thing of the past because they have stopped talking to you? Maybe you’ve even stopped answering the phone because you can’t understand what the caller is saying. People just seem to mumble. Do most people seem to ignore you? Why, just the other day, your grown child told you, “Oh, never mind, you don’t understand what I am saying anyway.” Sometimes this makes you angry, but most times it makes you really sad and you start doubting your abilities. Having to listen so hard can also give you a headache! You don’t get out anymore, so you don’t get much exercise or socialize with friends. You feel totally alone. Maybe you sleep a lot! There’s nothing else to do. All this inactivity is making you feel aches and pains you never had before. Oh, no…there goes another job opportunity! You did not understand half of the questions they asked
Hearing problems can occur at any age. If you suspect that your child has a hearing problem, contact Area Hearing Center in Henderson for an evaluation.
during the job interview. If they had stopped mumbling and talked plainly, you would have landed that job. You were more than qualified. But, that’s the fourth rejection this month. If you don’t find a job soon, you will be in a financial bind…and you’re only 35 years old! Maybe your family has a point. Maybe you should get a hearing test. Close to 35 million people in the United States know they cannot hear well. But, half of them have never had their hearing tested. Untreated hearing loss interferes with virtually every aspect of a person’s life – both personally and professionally. When ignored and left unaddressed, hear-
ing loss can lead to impaired memory, increased risk to personal safety, reduced alertness, anger, difficulty learning new tasks, irritability, negativism and fatigue. What should you do? Easy! Schedule a hearing evaluation with your local hearing healthcare providers at Area Hearing Center in Henderson. We will perform a full hearing evaluation, explain the results, and discuss your options for treating a hearing loss, if necessary. Would you like more information? Call Kotty or Deborah at Area Hearing Center, 450 Dabney Drive, Henderson at (252) 430-7744. Or email then atareahear@gloryroad.net.
AREA HEARING CENTER 252-430-7744
Owners Lara “Kotty” Gray, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology Deborah Twisdale, BC-HS Nationally Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences
450 Dabney Drive Henderson, NC 27536
Your Local Hearing Healthcare Providers