Pam Mason, director of audiology practice, policy, and consultation at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) appeared on WGN-TV's Walgreen's Health Corner on March 27, where she talked about noise and hearing loss. Mason offered tips to viewers on ways to protect their hearing when in noisy environments or activities.
In response to a question on whether hearing loss is natural with aging, Mason noted, "It's hard to separate out living from aging. If, through the course of your lifetime, you've been exposing yourself to loud sounds, it's difficult to determine what has occurred strictly through the aging process and what has occurred through your lifetime of exposure to noise. But we know that hearing loss from noise exposure is preventable and we can do something to protect our very delicate ears and sense of hearing."
When asked what a person should do if they have concerns about their hearing, Mason advised viewers to see a certified audiologist for a complete diagnostic evaluation as the best first step.
WGN-TV, a "superstation" carried on many cable and satellite dish systems around the country, has a viewership of 40 million. The program is scheduled to air again on October 9, 2004.
