Category: Hearing Advice

Dealing with hearing loss opens a host of problems that can affect how people live, but most people assume the condition is limited to anything ear-related. But other than struggling with hearing issues, some of the important functions that it can compromise include your balance. 

How is Your Hearing Loss Linked with Your Balance?

Deep inside the heart are two connected parts called the cochlea and the labyrinth, both of which are responsible for giving you a better sense of spatial awareness. Breaking down the vestibular system, you’ll find a network of tubes called semicircular canals in each ear, which detect movement whenever you move your head.

Since the vestibular system gets activated whenever you make movements, processing the action can take some time. When you put that into context, you’ll notice that drastic movements such as spinning can cause a dizzy spell, as if the room remains spinning even when you’ve steadied yourself. 

When you have ear problems that impact your vestibular system, it can compromise how it sends information to the brain. That’s why hearing loss can result in a feeling of lightheadedness, faintness, dizziness, or disequilibrium. 

Do Balance Disorders Impact Hearing Loss and Vice Versa? 

Many factors can result in the progressive development of hearing loss, but no matter the reason, most balance disorders occur once you start having problems with the inner ear. Some of the common hearing issues that can impact your balance include the following: 

• Labyrinthitis – this is an infection of the inner ear that impacts the labyrinth, which is the inner structure that contains two vestibular nerves responsible for sending signals to your brain regarding spatial navigation. When the structure within your inner ear becomes inflamed, it can result in hearing loss, which consequently leads to feelings of vertigo.
  
• Meniere’s Disease – this is a condition wherein the labyrinth suffers from a constant, heightened pressure that builds up as if you’re underwater. While Meniere’s disease typically occurs in one ear, there are some rare cases wherein both ears are affected. Either way, it can also cause hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus. 

The Bottom Line: How Hearing Loss and Your Sense of Balance are Linked

While your ears and balance may seem unrelated, the reality is that balance starts with your ear’s inner vestibular system. Contrary to popular belief, your ears play a pivotal role in other important parts of your body, too, so they play a part in the process of helping you know your place in this world’s fast-moving space. 

Are You Looking for the Best Hearing Care Solutions Near Echuca? 

Dealing with hearing problems—be it something as minor as ear wax removal to hearing loss—can be a daunting experience for anyone. If you’re suffering from some form of hearing loss and need proper hearing aids to boost your senses, CH Care provides extensive hearing care solutions in Australia. 

Our hearing clinicians can offer assessments to hearing aid fittings, so you can choose the best aid that can help restore your functionality and increase your quality of life in more ways than one. From children to the elderly, we’re all here for you! Book an appointment with us today and explore our services. 

It’s natural to want hearing tests for your baby. Hearing tests may include ear wax removal, eardrum examination, and more. 

However, there are more intensive tests performed on young children to determine their hearing condition. These tests are meant to identify any congenital conditions related to hearing loss. The screening is painless and begins at infancy, though there are also tests at further stages in childhood.

If you’re taking your child for professional hearing services, make sure you know what to expect. 

Hearing Tests for Infants

There are two tests available for babies younger than six months. 

The first is called Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE), which uses small microphones placed in the infant’s ear canal. They play small sounds into the infant’s ear as stimulation and record the response. 

The Auditory Brainstem Test (ABR) makes use of headphones and electrodes. These electrodes are not harmful or painful for the infant, and they are placed over the infant’s head. The baby wears the headphones to hear soft sounds while the electrodes measure the hearing nerve to check its response.

During either exam, the clinician will clean your baby’s ears and forehead. Generally, the infant is supposed to be asleep during the test. Because of this, the clinician will likely request that the infant’s parents rock them to sleep or bring them tired. 

To keep the environment conducive to sleep, parents will need to keep their volume down. It’s also best to avoid bringing any other children along. Other questions about the baby’s well-being will be asked after the conclusion of the exam, along with a breakdown of the results.

Hearing Tests for Older Babies and Toddlers

For older children, there are more tests available. The most popular variations are Conditioning Play Audiometry (CPA) and Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA). These tests are available for children between the ages of six months to three years. 

VRA is arguably the most commonly done test. It involves playing various sounds from a speaker while lighting up a hidden toy in a box or playing a video animation. The clinician watches the child’s behaviour during the test and uses the visual stimuli as a reward for his reactions to the audio.

CPA usually follows a VRA test and uses certain sounds that are meant to get a specific reaction from the child. The child must perform specific tasks in response to their assigned sounds, and the clinician uses this to check their focus and behaviour. 

These tests usually take less than an hour to complete. Because of the nature of the tests, your child will not need to be asleep for these. It should be noted that there are other types of tests available that may still be better accomplished with your child asleep. Other ones focus more on speech recognition.

Conclusion

Hearing tests are very important and useful in your child’s early stages of development. It can ensure their healthy growth and give you ample information and treatment for any problems that may arise. Early detection is crucial for any condition and can help parents prepare for long-term management.

If you’re seeking out professional hearing services for your child, Country Hearing Care provides hearing assessments, hearing aid fitting, and maintenance services. Reach out to us for a consultation in one of our clinics across Australia.

Loss of hearing is one of the foremost common afflictions affecting people today. However, many don’t bother to seek treatment for their condition.

Of course, it can be difficult to decide whether you need to visit a hearing clinician or if the difficulty will resolve itself. In case you’re encountering any of the signs listed in this article, chances are it might be good for you to pay a visit to your local hearing clinician.

Sign #1: Less Engagement in Social Activities

Many people living with hearing loss will strain to listen to other people amid discussions without realising it. Some may feel the need to come closer or pay extra attention to understand the people around them. Because of this, some may feel distant and show signs of weariness and overtiredness. A hearing clinician can test for issues to clear things up one way or another. So, if tiredness is coupled with any other issues, it’s best to book an appointment.

Sign #2: Ringing in Your Ears

Mysterious ringing within the ears may be a condition called tinnitus, and there isn’t any genuine “antidote” for it. Nevertheless, there are many rehabilitation and medications a hearing clinician can suggest to assist you in finding comfort. Since tinnitus is often an indication of a more extensive hearing issue, if you have experienced any kind of ringing in your ears, you ought to plan a visit to a hearing clinician before things become more serious.

Sign #3: Too Much Noise

Do you work in a loud environment? Do you have a side interest like going to concerts or playing an instrument that exposes you to a bunch of noise? Well, you ought to book a hearing test and get your hearing surveyed for any damage. Your hearing clinician can determine the degree of harm that has been done to your hearing and whether it is irreparable. If that’s the case, you might still be assisted by hearing aids. It is advisable to visit your hearing clinician to programme the hearing aids and address your other concerns.

Sign #4: Frequently Asking Others to Repeat Themselves 

A common symptom of hearing problems is asking people to repeat themselves all the time. You may not notice it at first, but if you are having conversations with your family and friends and you can’t seem to understand them while they talk, you need to get help as soon as possible. A consultation will keep your hearing problems, if you have any, from developing into something more serious.

Sign #5: High Volume from Your Electronics

Do people ask you to turn down the volume of your electronics, but you need it at that level just to hear what you’re watching? This is a good indication that it’s time to get your hearing tested. Turning the volume way too high is a common sign of hearing loss since those with good hearing have a relatively low tolerance for noise. If you are confronted with this kind of situation, it is best to consult a hearing clinician immediately.

Conclusion

If you are faced with any hearing problems, it is best to consult hearing experts as soon as possible. Never disregard signs that may eventually contribute to a more severe ailment, and go in for your yearly cheque-ups so that you can prevent any hearing problems in the future. It is crucial always to seek professionals who are reliable and knowledgeable in their respective fields.

Do you think you may need a hearing test in Mildura? Country Hearing Care is an independent, locally owned and operated business that specialises in hearing assessments and hearing aid fitting and maintenance. We cater to several regional towns spanning from Echuca to Broken Hill. Talk to us now!

One of the most neglected health issues is hearing. In fact, rarely does anyone get a hearing checkup unless a serious hearing problem is involved. 

Most people hardly take care of their hearing and go to concerts, blast music at full volume, socialise at noisy bars and attend sports events. These activities, no matter how fun they seem, actually play a significant factor in hearing health.

If you want to start taking care of your hearing health and minimise your exposure to hearing damage, read up! These are the typical activities that can cause hearing loss in the long term:

Using Cotton Swabs

It’s common to use cotton swabs to clean your ears, especially after taking a shower. However, it is a bad habit that may actually damage your hearing. 

Hearing specialists don’t recommend using cotton swabs when cleaning ears since accidents can happen. The worst case is that you perforate your eardrums and cause adverse outcomes for your hearing health.

Ears are self-cleaning organs that stop foreign objects like bugs and ants from entering. If you have an earwax problem, you need to visit your doctor or ask for a free hearing test from an audiologist. Your medical professional should be able to tell you the best solution to your problem.

Blasting Loud Music

Teenagers and young adults are more susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss due to the unsafe use of audio devices. Listening to music on your earbuds or headphones may be a way of creating your own space, but it also causes health consequences. 

Blasting music to your ears can often lead to hearing complications. Studies reveal that listening to music with headphones at a maximum of 60 per cent volume for a maximum of 60 minutes per day is the ideal way of protecting yourself from excessive noise exposure. 

It’s better to purchase headphones than earbuds since the latter sit closer to the eardrums and may lead to hearing complications.

Not Wearing Hearing Protection

If you work in a loud environment or attend loud events, you might be more prone to having hearing complications. If you work in a construction site, go to concerts, mow your lawn and need to shout at the person next to you to hear your voice, that’s an instance where your hearing could get damaged.

High sound levels are dangerous to your hearing health and may even lead to permanent hearing loss. If you feel like you cannot hear properly after doing any of these things, get a free hearing test to implement rehabilitation.

Not Keeping Your Ears Dry

The middle part of the ear that houses the eardrum is an air-filled cavity. That means excess moisture may cause imbalance and allow bacteria to pass through. That can infect the ear canal and cause swimmer’s ear and other ear infection types. 

You should gently dry your ears after swimming or taking a shower. Use tissue spears or a towel, then lightly tilt your head to one side to let the water out. Tug on your earlobe softly. If sounds around you seem muffled, visit your doctor for a hearing checkup.

Conclusion

You should take precautions and take care of your hearing health now, instead of waiting for something serious to happen. Some hearing complications may build up over time, and some of them lead to severe issues like hearing loss. So take better care of your hearing today!

CH Care is an independent, locally owned and operated business specialising in hearing assessments, hearing aid fitting and maintenance and complete hearing healthcare. We provide country Australians complete hearing care solutions from Echuca to Broken Hill, VIC. Get in touch with us today, and let’s talk about your hearing!

Are you asking yourself, “why do I have ringing in my ears” or “my ears won’t stop buzzing”? Are you hearing unwanted sounds in your ears that only you can hear? Well, you’re not alone.

About one in three Australians suffer from ringing, buzzing, humming or other bothersome sounds in their ears at some point in their life, while one in six people suffer from more consistent symptoms. Any unwanted sounds in your ear/s is known as Tinnitus and it is surprisingly common, but that doesn’t make it any less of an annoying issue.

There are multiple things that could be causing ringing in your ears. Let’s go through some of the common causes so that you may find the source of your problem today.

It’s Too Loud

If you spend a lot of time in loud environments, it can cause Tinnitus in your ears. That includes construction sites, music venues, or just playing extra loud music on your headphones.

Try reducing the amount of time you spend in loud environments or wearing good hearing protection if you can’t.  Noise exposure can easily lead to permanent damage to your hearing and often tinnitus. You should look into a hearing test to see if the noise you have been exposed to has caused an issue for you yet.

Concussions

One of the major signs of a concussion is ringing in your ears. So, if you’ve recently hit your head, you might want to take yourself to a hospital to make sure you’re not suffering from a head injury.

Other symptoms of concussion you’ll want to look out for include nausea, confusion, loss of balance, light sensitivity, blurred vision, mood swings, and changes in smell or taste and hearing loss.

You should also take steps to prevent concussions before they happen. Wear a helmet when you participate in high-risk activities, like contact sports or riding a motorcycle.

Other head injuries, like traumatic brain injuries, can also cause tinnitus. Make sure you consult with a medical professional immediately if you think you may have any sort of head injury.

Ear Infections

An ear infection can also cause ringing in your ears, depending on your symptoms. If you are suffering from an ear infection, you may also be suffering from ear pain, discharge, a high fever, muffled hearing, nausea, inflammation, and headaches.

If you believe you may be suffering from an ear infection, make sure you consult your doctor so you can get antibiotics. That way, your ear infection will be cleared up in no time.

Too Much Earwax

If you’ve got an earwax buildup, that may be a cause of ringing in your ears. Other symptoms of having too much earwax can include dizziness, earaches, and feeling like you have blockages in your ears.

You can look into wax management today, which should help reduce your symptoms quickly. Afterwards, talk to your doctor about steps you can take to prevent earwax buildup from causing you issues again. That way, you’ll be able to keep warding off the tinnitus!

Aging

As you age, you may be more prone to ear or hearing problems like having too much earwax, hearing loss and tinnitus.. Men tend to be more prone to tinnitus than women, along with people who smoke or who have smoked in the past.

Especially if you suffer from hearing loss or already use a hearing aid or other hearing device, you may be more prone to ringing in your ears than the average person.

That’s why it’s important to stay on top of your ear health. If you don’t already have a hearing aid, hearing aids may actually be able to help treat your tinnitus.

Jaw Issues

People who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorders may, unfortunately often get ringing ears as a symptom. Other signs of temporomandibular joint (or TMJ) disorders include popping and clicking sounds, pain in your jaw and ears, difficulty chewing, jaw locking, and facial pain.

If you think you may be suffering from TMJ problems, you should contact your dentist to see if you can take preventative measures, such as using a mouthguard.

Medication Side Effects

It may surprise you to know that ringing in your ears can be a side effect of some medications.

Some medications that can cause tinnitus include antibiotics, anti-depressants, blood pressure medications, diuretics, anti-malaria medications, anti-cancer medications, and taking large amounts of aspirin.

If you take any of these medications, make sure you talk to your doctor to try and reduce your symptoms.

Other Medical Issues

These aren’t the only things that can cause ringing in your ears. There are other, more severe issues that may be causing it such as:

• Meniere’s disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Labyrinthitis
• Certain thyroid diseases
• Otosclerosis
• Anemia
• Acoustic neuroma
• High blood pressure
• The flu
• Stress and anxiety disorders
• Brain tumours

It’s important to not ignore tinnitus and to act on it as early as possible.  Make sure you discuss your symptoms or concerns with your doctor, so you can start to get relief from your tinnitus as soon as possible.

Why Do I Have Ringing in My Ears? Now You Know

Hopefully, one of these options has helped you resolve the question, “why do I have ringing in my ears?”

But, you should consult with a healthcare professional to make sure you don’t have a bigger health problem going on. An audiologist can help test your hearing and general ‘ear health’, and help find the cause. Whilst there’s not necessarily a cure for tinnitus, there are a lot of great treatment options that could help you Do you think you may have a problem with your hearing? Make an appointment with Country Hearing Health today.

Earwax isn’t the most glamorous part of our health to discuss, but it’s a far more prevalent issue than you might realize. Earwax problems have led to hearing problems, earaches, ringing in the ears and even balance issues resulting in dangerous falls for people around the world.

Earwax problems affect people of all ages too, so everyone should arm themselves with knowledge. How do you know you have an earwax blockage and what should you do about it?

Signs You May Have Earwax Problems

It’s often tricky to detect earwax blockages. Not only do the symptoms mirror other problems but they often develop gradually too. Keep an eye out for these tell-tale signs.

Reduced or Muffled Hearing

For you to hear sounds, the vibrations must reach specific parts of your ear’s anatomy. Earwax builds up in front of that area, so it can block the vibrations from getting through properly. Because of this, people with earwax buildup may have limited or muffled hearing in one or both ears.

Ear Fullness

In many people with excessive earwax, they can feel a physical fullness in their ears. They may not be able to tell that it’s earwax, but they feel as if something is inside their ear. Because earwax can build up in one ear or both at the same time, you could have this fullness in one or both ears. It’s very important to have this checked as soon as you notice it as if it’s not wax it could be a more serious issue.

Earaches

Your ear is a delicate and sensitive part of the body. When there’s something there that shouldn’t be, like a blockage of earwax, it can lead to pain and irritation. As a result, some people with earwax buildup develop earaches.

Keep in mind that earaches can also signal an ear infection. It’s important to visit an ear care specialist if you are experiencing ear pain.

In-Ear Noises

Have you ever had ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus? This or other noises in your ears could signal an earwax blockage.

How do you know if the ringing or noise is coming from your ear or the environment around you? Firstly, if no one else is hearing it it’s most likely tinnitus. Use your finger to gently close your ear. If you hear the same noise just as clearly as before, it’s originating in your ear.

Dizziness

Your ears are key contributors to your brain’s ability to balance. Whilst the ‘organ of balance’ is much deeper in your hearing system, a wax build up in your ear canal can lead to feelings of dizziness or unbalance. Also, if one ear becomes blocked with wax it can be very difficult to work out where a sound is coming from which can lead to feelings of disorientation and confusion.

What Causes Earwax Blockages

We all know earwax is a natural part of our bodies, but why do some people develop blockages? Does an earwax buildup mean you produce too much earwax?

Earwax, medically called cerumen, is a natural substance our body produces to block particles in the air that could infect or damage the inside of your ear. Most of the time, this earwax eventually works its way to the openings of our ears and falls out.

Sometimes, though, it stays inside the ear canal and packs together, creating a blockage. In other words, if you have earwax buildup, it’s generally because your earwax isn’t falling out as it should, not because you’re producing too much wax.

There are many reasons this happens, like anatomical irregularities like narrow or twisting ear canals or particularly hairy eas. However, it’s especially common when you’ve used cotton buds or other items in your ears. This packs your earwax together or pushes it further into the ear canal so it can’t fall out on its own and is one of many reasons we strongly recommend not attempting to remove wax yourself….

Tips for Safely Clean Out Your Earwax

Many people need to clean earwax from their ears from time to time, but there are safe and unsafe ways to do it. Keep these tips in mind.

Don’t Use Cotton buds for Earwax

It’s a common mistake to use cotton swabs or buds in an attempt to clean out earwax. This will only pack the earwax tighter and further into your canal, making the blockage worse. If you push the swab too far, you can also cause serious damage to your delicate ear canal or ear drum.

In reality, cotton swabs are made for cleaning the outer curves of your ears: those that are easily visible in the mirror. Use them only for this purpose and not to clean your ear canals. Whilst a cotton bud feels very soft on the tough skin of your fingers, it’s more like sandpaper on the delicate skin in your ear canal!

Avoid Ear Candles

Another well-known “home remedy” for earwax, ear candling, isn’t much of a remedy after all. The theory is that you place a particular type of hollow candle in your ear and light it, and the candle pulls the earwax upward to extract it.

However, extensive medical testing has shown that ear candles don’t work. They also put you at risk for serious burns from the candle, so avoid this trend altogether.

Get Help from an Ear Health Professional

The only way to know you’re getting safe and effective earwax removal is to visit an ear care professional. We have the precise tools, knowledge, and experience needed to thoroughly remove a wax blockage without damaging your ears.

Why Call Our Ear Care Specialists

It’s often a relief to discover that your symptoms may be coming from simple earwax rather than a serious medical or hearing problem. This is why it’s important to visit our specialists at Country Hearing Care if you have any of the symptoms of earwax buildup above.

Any of these symptoms could also indicate other hearing problems or health conditions. Our healthcare experts will be able to evaluate your ears to determine the true cause of your symptoms and develop a personal treatment plan.

If you do have an earwax blockage, we’re also the ideal professionals to remove that blockage. We can do this safely and quickly in our clincs, typically providing immediate relief for your symptoms. To get to the bottom of your hearing or earwax problems, call Country Hearing Care today to schedule your appointment.

Am I hearing well enough ‘for my age’?

What is age-related hearing loss?

As we go through the years, we will all most-likely gradually lose some hearing. This is known as age-related hearing loss or presbycusis and is a very common issue for many people.  

In fact, around 1 in 6 Australians suffer from some form of hearing loss and that number is predicted to rise to 1 in 4 by 2050. Hearing loss can have a real impact on our day to day lives and effect anything from how easily we communicate with friends and family to being able to enjoy music or television. It can affect how we socialise and over time if left untreated can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. From a safety point of view, we may not hear warning alarms or traffic on the road too.

Often this hearing loss can creep up on us gradually and we don’t notice it’s affected us, sometimes accusing others of mumbling or not speaking clearly, asking for repeats, turning up the TV, and so on. The only way to really know is to have a hearing test with a trained hearing health professional (Audiologist/Audiometrist).

How do we hear?

Our hearing system is very complex and intricate and consists of 3 major sections: the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Within these 3 sections there are multiple working parts and nerves all helping to transmit sound to our brains. Basically: 

• Someone says “Hello!”, this action sets off a sound wave through the air which travels down our ear canal and hits our eardrum, causing it to vibrate.  
• These eardrum vibrations are carried through the tiny bones in the middle ear which help to amplify the signal. These bones are three of the smallest in the body and are often referred to as the hammer, anvil and stirrup. 
• The amplified vibrations travel into the inner ear, or Cochlea; which is shaped like a snail’s shell and is the size of a pea. It is full of a special fluid and home to thousands of minute hair-cells. The vibrations set of a wave which stimulates these nerves. 
• Depending upon the frequency of the vibrations, different areas are stimulated and they send a message up the auditory nerve to the brain where they are processed as sound, (the word ‘Hello’ in this case), and we respond – all in a matter of milliseconds! 

Why do we lose our hearing as we get older?

Age-related hearing loss is often just part of the overall hearing issue with other factors to consider too. Noise-induced hearing loss is a very common cause of hearing damage and can often be a contributing factor to the overall hearing loss. Basically, exposure to loud noise over the years leads to wear and tear of our tiny hair-cells.

In some cases, issues can arise with the tiny bones in our middle ears, causing them to seize up and not transmit the sounds as well anymore. Some people may even require surgery to fix the bones or replace with a prosthetic. 

Other factors than can affect our hearing as we get older are certain medications (Ototoxic drugs that damage our hearing), diabetes and even high blood pressure.

In other words, there’s usually more to hearing loss than just being ‘age-related’. 

Can age-related hearing loss be avoided?

Unfortunately, there is no ‘cure’ as such for age-related hearing loss itself, however, there are lots of ways you can look after your hearing. 

• Avoid exposure to excessive loud noise
• Wear hearing protection when in a noisy environment
• Don’t clean your ears with cotton buds!
• Turn down the volume when listening to music
• Have regular hearing tests
• Always seek medical advice if you experience any pain or discharge from your ears  

If you do have a hearing loss, often the use of hearing aids will be very beneficial and can even help ease the symptoms of tinnitus (ringing in the ears). There is also evidence to suggest their use can help to prevent cognitive decline.

How can I tell if I have a hearing problem?

There are usually some tell-tale signs that there is an issue with your hearing. Consider some of these questions, do they sound familiar?

Do you…

• often ask for repeats or say ‘what’?
• find it very hard to hear in groups or background noise?
• turn the TV up louder but it’s getting no clearer?
• avoid going to social functions as you find it embarrassing that you can’t hear?
• feel that others mumble or don’t speak clearly enough?
• find it difficult to hear on the phone?
• feel exhausted after a social event?

All of these are commonly reported by those with some hearing loss. The good news is that there’s lots than can be done. 

What should I do if I’m having difficulty hearing?

The first thing to do if you’re having difficulty hearing is arrange to have a hearing test. Either speak to your GP for their recommendation or visit your local hearing healthcare provider. 

At a hearing assessment appointment an Audiologist or Audiometrist will take a history regarding your hearing and ear health and take you through several different tests to try to establish if there are any issues with your ears and/or hearing. If a hearing loss is found, your clinician may recommend a trial of some hearing devices, like hearing aids or ‘assistive listening devices’. These days hearing aids are very smart bits of technology and not only help the user hear more clearly but can also connect to your mobile phone, TV and have rechargeable options too. They come in a large range of shapes and sizes and different levels of technology to accommodate everyone’s requirements and budget.

In some cases, it may be necessary to refer back to your GP for further investigation and in turn they may occasionally refer on to an ear, nose and throat specialist – an ENT or Otolaryngologist is a Doctor who specialises in treating problems with the ear, nose, throat and neck. These surgeons perform lot’s of different operations on ears from grommets for kids (small tubes inserted through the ear drum to help ease middle ear problems common in children) to Cochlear implants (a minute device is implanted within the inner ear to help ‘rewire’ the auditory nerves for those with severe hearing difficulties).

Think about going to the dentist. It’s the norm to have a check-up once a year and if you have a toothache you book yourself in straight away for an appointment as you know it’s not going to get better without attention. Our hearing can be something that we all take for granted and it’s easier to just ignore problems we’re having. However, much like many other health issues, the sooner that you get proactive about it, the better the results will be.