May 1 marks the start of BetterHearing and Speech Month, a monthdedicated to educating consumersabout the need to assure that theirhearing is healthy. This year, BeaufortAudiology &amp; Hearing Care is joiningthe Better Hearing and SpeechCouncil in promoting the AcrossAmerica Hearing Check Challenge(www.hearingcheck.org) — an onlinehearing test ...<!--more-->

that lets individualsquickly and confidentially determineif they need a comprehensive hearingevaluation by an audiologist. BeaufortAudiology &amp; Hearing Care is urgingeveryone in Beaufort County to rise tothe challenge, visit www.hearingcheck.org, and walk through a simple,15-question self-screener in the privacyof their own homes.“Unaddressed hearing loss seriously
undercuts a person’s quality of lifeand has a tremendous impact onrelationships,” says Monica Wiser,M.A. CCC-A, a licensed audiologist inBeaufort, SC. “I see it every day in ourpractice and hear it from our patientsand their concerned family membersand friends.“Too many people wait years, evendecades, before getting treatment —either unaware of the extent of theirhearing loss or too afraid to confrontit — losing out on so much. That’swhy we are promoting this updated,simple, and interactive screening checkthat couples, families, and anyone elsecan use in the comfort and privacy oftheir own homes. By visiting www.hearingcheck.org, members of ourcommunity can take the first, mostcritical step in reclaiming their hearing
— and their quality of life. Andwhen they’re ready to take that nextstep and get a professional diagnosticassessment, we’re here and ready tohelp.”The signs of hearing loss can besubtle and emerge slowly, or they canbe significant and come on suddenly.Either way, there are commonindications. Symptoms of hearing lossinclude not being able to hear well ina crowded room or restaurant, havingtrouble hearing children and women,keeping the television or radio turnedup to a high volume, needing to askfriends to repeat what they’re saying, orexperiencing ringing in the ears.Beaufort Audiology &amp; Hearing Carealso is warning people of the dangers ofnoise-induced hearing loss which is onthe rise, especially among teenagers.