Most everyone can recall past events in history. It may be history that has to do with the city in which we live, our country or perhaps just our
own personal family.
Family history is always fun…but it is also very important to have knowledge of medical background of our ancestors. Having such knowledge helps to avoid having the same medical issues. It may help you to maintain your good health longer.
For instance; if you know that family members have cardiac problems then perhaps increasing your aerobic exercise is indicated. If your parents or grandparents had to take medicines for osteoarthritis then adding some weight lifting to your daily regime may be a good idea.
Hearing background provides a look into your future communication abilities. Did your grandparents; as well as, your parents have hearing loss? How did they do with their hearing instruments? What style did they have and what did they dislike about them. Genetically, there may be some similarities that you too may dislike. Perhaps they hated “fiddling with the volume control.” You too…may not be a fiddler! How was their memory? Was their cognitive abilities sharp? Were they active and social? Hearing loss is directly related to cognitive decline. It is directly related to a decrease in socializing with others. This lack of socialization may have led them to depression. Years ago… we never heard of the word Alzheimer’s. Grandma & Grandpa just got a little “senile.” In fact, it was more than just a little senility. Did they actually wear their hearing aids? How old were they when they got them? A hearing loss should be corrected as soon possible. We hear with our brains. The sounds that go into our ears transmit to the brain which then processes the signals and turns them into meaning. The longer you deprive your brain of proper stimulus the harder it is for the brain to adapt. Years of auditory deprivation can cause the brain to go into auditory deprivation. Wearing instruments that do not properly stimulate all the deficient frequencies ay be just as bad for your brain as wearing nothing at all. In other words…’if you don’t use it..you lose it!’ You need to use it ALL!!
Hearing evaluations provide a multitude of in information about your health. Heart issues may appear. High cholesterol indicators may be present. Diabetes patients are especially vulnerable to shifts in hearing. Today by having a progressive approach toward your health and your health history you now more than ever able to bypass some of the issues that your ancestors endured.
One idea to track such information is to make a “rolodex” ™ of your families health background. List the person with their individual surgeries diseases, medicines and conditions and try to cross reference them. For instance.. list heart issues and everyone who has had them and their ages at the onset of the problem. This will help you to see a pattern. You will see if it is primarily females or males and you will know ages and what they did to try treat the condition. Just the fact that you are gathering data will lead to more in-depth information. Information that may be life-saving one day.
Have some fun and dig deep into your family medical history. Take a proactive approach to you health. If you have not had your annual hearing evaluation; call and schedule it today! To Hear Better Is To Live Better!
By: Roseann B. Kiefer, B.A., BC-HIS