Free hearing screenings and discounts offered during May, National Better Hearing Month

May is National Better Hearing Month, and St. John’s Audiology & Hearing Aids is encouraging the public to make an appointment with an audiologist if they suspect they or their loved ones have a hearing loss. During the month of May, St. John’s Audiology is offering free hearing screenings (a 30-minute appointment, valued at $55) as well as $200 off the purchase of any hearing aid set.

“Hearing is essential to well-being, no matter what your age,” says Rosanne Prince, AuD, audiologist at St. John’s Audiology & Hearing Aids and member of the American Academy of Audiology. “Infants with hearing loss can experience setbacks in language acquisition; learning can be affected for school-age children; and teens and young adults are more frequently experiencing hearing issues due to excessively loud music and gaming. And in older adults, recent studies show a connection between hearing loss and dementia.”

A Johns Hopkins University study showed that seniors with hearing loss were much more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retained their hearing. The more severe the hearing loss, the more likely they were to develop dementia.

According to the National Institutes of Health, hearing loss in the younger population affects approximately 20 percent (48 million) of American adults aged 20 to 69. Approximately 28.8 million could benefit from the use of hearing aids.

“Audiologists are the experts in hearing health,” says Dr. Prince. “Hearing aids are not always the only or recommended solution, which is why it’s important to see an audiologist to further determine the appropriate course of treatment.” Sometimes the cause of hearing loss is temporary or a symptom of another illness or disease. An audiologist will run various tests to determine the cause and recommend appropriate treatment.

Some signs of hearing loss may include:

- Suddenly having to turn up the volume of the television, radio, or stereo and having others complain that the volume is too loud.

- Difficulty understanding people speaking to you and asking people to repeat themselves.

- Difficulty with phone conversations and understanding the other person.

- Sudden inability to hear the door bell, the dog barking, and other household sounds.

- People telling you that you speak too loudly.

- Ringing in the ears.

For an appointment, call St. John’s Audiology & Hearing Aids at 307.739.7690.

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Media contact: Karen Connelly, 307 739 7380, kconnelly@tetonhospital.org

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S MEDICAL CENTER

St. John's Health in Jackson, Wyoming, offers patient-centered clinical excellence and community wellness services through a full-service hospital, primary care, and specialty physician practices, and a long-term care Living Center.

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S PHYSICIAN PRACTICES

St. John’s Audiology & Hearing Aids is part of St. John’s Physician Practices. An administrative division of St. John's Health, St. John's Physician Practices also offers: Family Health, Internal Medicine, Urgent Care, General Surgery, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Cognitive Health, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Urology, Clinic at Teton Village, and Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy. The mission of the group is to ensure accessible, quality, patient-focused healthcare that responds to community need.