{"id":6287,"date":"2019-04-05T11:07:10","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T18:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/?p=6287"},"modified":"2022-06-07T12:40:24","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T19:40:24","slug":"visiting-an-audiologist-bring-along-a-companion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonahearing.com\/visiting-an-audiologist-bring-along-a-companion\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting an Audiologist? Bring Along a Companion!"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have recently been diagnosed with hearing loss<\/a> or referred to an audiologist in Tucson<\/strong> for further evaluation, you probably have a lot of emotions swirling through your head. It\u2019s natural to feel a little nervous when facing the unexpected.<\/p>\n

Bringing a companion along to your first appointment will provide you with a familiar face (and much-needed emotional support) and will prove helpful to your audiologist, too.<\/p>\n

Hearing Loss Affects the Whole Family<\/h2>\n

\"family<\/p>\n

About 20 percent of the population<\/a> experiences hearing loss in Tucson<\/strong>. Usually, symptoms develop very gradually, making detection difficult.<\/p>\n

Your brain adjusts automatically to a reduction in hearing ability, filling in any missing gaps in conversations.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this occurs at the expense of other important functions, such as memory and cognition.<\/p>\n

The longer your hearing loss goes untreated, the higher your risks for developing an associated condition, such as depression, dementia or diabetes.<\/em><\/p>\n

Tucson<\/a> residents diagnosed with a hearing impairment are urged to bring a spouse, family member or close friend with them for their initial audiology appointment.<\/p>\n

Your Hearing Loss Affects Your Friends and Family<\/h2>\n

You aren\u2019t the only one affected by your hearing loss; a 2009 study<\/a> examined 1,500 people with hearing loss and found the following:<\/p>\n