By Dr. Keith Darrow, PhD
Hearing & Balance Centers of New England
Photo/submitted
By the President of the United States of America – A Proclamation
“Sounds, whether we produce them or receive them, are an integral part of our lives…. To heighten public awareness of hearing and speech disorders, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 284, has designated the month of May 1986 as “Better Hearing and Speech Month” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of May 1986 as Better Hearing and Speech Month, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
In the past 33 years, since President Reagan declared that “Still, much remains to be learned” about the medical treatment of hearing loss, scientists and medical clinicians have come to agree that the early treatment of hearing loss can significantly improve overall health and cognitive wellness.
Estimates indicate that nearly 50 million people in our country, and nearly 466 million worldwide suffer with hearing loss. These numbers are expected to double in the next 30 years. The fact is that hearing loss, which is a natural process that occurs with each passing birthday, is unavoidable – it’s in our genes! But what is avoidable are the associated impacts of living with untreated hearing loss, including tinnitus, falls, social isolation, cerebral atrophy (brain shrinkage) and cognitive overload (using excess brain power to hear what is being said to us). Perhaps one of the most sobering statistics about untreated hearing loss is the nearly 200-500 percent increase in risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia.
In recent years, medical reports have highlighted the benefits of early treatment to include improvements in quality of life, increase in cognitive function (including improvements in memory recall), increase in cognitive stimulation, decreased tinnitus, and the potential to reduce the risk of dementia, and possibly even slow the progression of the mind-robbing disease.
To celebrate, my office is giving away free copies of my Amazon.com best-selling book, “Stop Living In Isolation”. Visit www.HBNEBookOffer.com to get your copy!
For more information call 508-794-3542 or visit hearingandbalancene.com.
