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Are you finding yourself saying the words, “What?”, “Huh?” or “Pardon me?” more often than normal? Do you work around loud equipment or listen to music through your headphones loudly? Have you experienced a time when there was a single extremely unbearable loud noise? These are all ways a person can lose a portion of their hearing. Sometimes we don’t recognize it until it’s too late. What people don’t realize is that not only does it affect your life but it affects those around you, as well.

Along with presbycusis, the natural aging process of the nerves in the ear, there are several ways to quickly or gradually lose your hearing. Jeff Shrive of Miracle Ear, the premiere hearing center in Allentown, Pa., says it’s best to be tested annually beginning at the age of 60, if you haven’t had too much exposure to loud sounds and noises (gun shots, factories, construction sites, loud music); however, it is never too late to start testing. “One out of three people over the age of 60 has a hearing loss of some kind,” Jeff says. He suggests you visit the Miracle Ear hearing center in Allentown, Pa., annually after your 60^th birthday. If you don’t require amplification assistance, he’ll see you next year.

What exactly does getting a hearing evaluation mean to you? First of all, at the Allentown, Pa., hearing center your initial hearing test is free. The certified consultant will ask you questions about your history and what brought you into Miracle Ear. They will then use a video otoscope, a device used to look into the ear, to determine if there is a wax blockage or any sort of infection before testing for hearing loss with an audiometer. Jeff says, “We will do a pure tone test with an audiometer to get a baseline score on your hearing. If there is hearing loss detected, we will then do speech testing, word discrimination testing and familiar voice testing (if possible).”

Jeff recommends you bring along a companion, whether it be your spouse or an adult child because familiar voice testing allows the client to recognize their loved ones voice and, oftentimes, this can assist in determining the client’s hearing aid needs. Hearing loss can distance loved ones from another. When communication disintegrates, relationships tend to break down, as well. The better you can hear, the more able you are to communicate and the better relationships you are going to have. See Jeff Shrive at his Miracle Ear hearing center in Allentown, Pa., for your free initial hearing test and you will find your way to a healthier and happier lifestyle with better relationships.