Why you should get a hearing test this holiday season

The holiday season means festive gatherings, meals with family, winter activities with friends and office parties. If you’re among the 38 per cent of Canadian adults aged 20-79 who experience hearing loss, it can also be a very isolating time.

“The reason we’re getting together is to eat a lot of food and get together with friends, family, and catch up. And we don’t want to miss any part of their stories. We don’t want to be in those positions where we’re asking for repetition or not able to laugh at that joke,” says audiologist Kathy Pineo from HearCANADA.

For those with hearing loss, navigating social situations can become tricky and stressful.

“When you can’t participate in those settings, when that conversation no longer is flowing, it’s very frustrating. You’re going to start withdrawing, you’re not going to participate in those conversations and you may not feel great about yourself,” explains Pineo.

“One of the things that hearing loss is associated with is clinical depression and we want to make sure that we’re interacting, that we’re being social. Humans are very social creatures, so when you’re not able to, you’re missing out and you may withdraw, isolate, and that’s not good for our brain health in any way.”

She says straining to hear those around you can also lead to fatigue and with hearing loss comes an increased risk of falling. It has also been linked to dementia, diabetes and heart health as well. She stresses the importance of getting a hearing test at the earliest signs of hearing loss and regularly thereafter.

Pineo says there are some telltale signs that you may be experiencing hearing loss.

“You might notice that you really have to look at someone to be able to hear what they’re saying. Maybe your TV volume is creeping up and up and up. Maybe you’ve started even using closed captioning on shows that you’ve never used before. Maybe when you’re going to restaurants, you’re finding all of that extra noise very distracting, and you’re not able to hear what that person across from you is saying,” she says.

“If you’re concerned about a loved one, usually again, you’re going to notice that TV volume go up. They’re going to ask for a lot of repetition. They might even stop going out because they don’t want to be in those situations where they’re not able to hear.”

For those with parents or other loved ones who are embarrassed or resistant to getting a test, she suggests approaching them with empathy and compassion.

“No one wants to be kind of called out. Say ‘You know what? We get our eyes checked every year, we get our teeth done. Why don’t we both go and get our hearing checked so we can make sure everything’s working well?’ And then, when you’re both at the appointments, you’re going to be that social support for your parent or partner,” she says.

“You’d be surprised how important it is to make this about the family, about your partners, because we know that if you’re not hearing well, it can really affect those relationships as well.”

If hearing aids are required, she says the best way to bring reluctant loved ones around is to have them try it. Hearing aid technology has come a long way and many are surprised by how unobtrusive they can be.

“One of the first things I do is I put hearing aids on them. It’s very important because I can tell you about how great it’s going to be, how you’re going to hear better, how they’re very discreet. But until you have them on, that’s going to be kind of theoretical. It’s like, I can describe chocolate to you, but until you taste it, you’re not going to really understand it. Same with hearing aids,” she says.

“A lot of times people come back after wearing their hearing aids for a few weeks and you see a transformation. They’re even reporting being less tired, their partners are happier. It’s a very, very positive experience.”

Despite the success stories, the stigma attached to hearing loss and requiring hearing aids can lead many to delay getting care. Since hearing loss can be progressive, putting off a test can make matters worse.

“I’d love to normalize getting a hearing assessment. We don’t want people to wait until let’s say it’s really ‘bad.’ [It’s important] that we do something about that hearing loss as soon as possible to help in those challenging situations so that we can socialize, we can have those communication skills up to snuff,” says Pineo.

“Normalize it. It’s not because you’re older, it’s not because there’s anything wrong. This is part of your wellness. This is going to support you with your cognitive health as well in the long run.”

What to expect during a hearing test

Hearing tests usually start with questions regarding overall health, medical history and any experience with hearing loss.

A hearing care professional will then check the patient’s ears by looking inside each one and check that each eardrum is moving correctly with a device called a tympanometer.

Thereafter the patient is usually asked to step into a soundproof booth.

“You’re going to listen to some beeps, you’re going to listen to some speech sounds. And once all of that is done, your hearing care professional is going to explain the results in a way that links all of your experiences to that test,” says Pineo.

If any hearing loss is detected, the specialist might suggest hearing aids based on the patient’s specific needs and type of hearing loss.

Many hearing centres offer free hearing screenings. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) only covers hearing tests conducted by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor.

The province’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) under OHIP covers 75 per cent of the price of a hearing aid, up to $500 for each ear.