Easy Steps to Take for Better Hearing Month
by Bridget Dobyan, HIA Executive Director
May 6, 2026
The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and spring is in the air. The beauty of May also brings us Better Hearing Month and a chance to renew our focus on hearing health, awareness, and take steps to improve our quality of life and wellbeing.
There are easy steps to take to check your hearing, amplify the message of hearing health, and share the moments that matter:
Check Your Hearing. From the comfort of your own home or backyard garden, you can answer a few simple questions that can help indicate whether you have a hearing loss and, if so, find a licensed hearing care professional in your area. A hearing evaluation through a professional is the best way to identify your specific degree of hearing loss and develop a treatment plan customized to you.
- Find the Right Solution. Whether your ears just require a little spring cleaning or hearing aids are ultimately needed, a licensed hearing care professional can discuss the options and guide you through the process to better hearing. Today’s hearing aids are discreet and sophisticated, with connectivity features to link to your smartphone and other devices, program adjustments, and AI features that can adapt to your daily routine.
- Embrace the Experience. Hearing happens in the brain so there may be a period of adjusting to the sounds around you. Work with your hearing care professional to adjust your programs, keep your devices in top notch condition, and make any necessary tweaks for sound and fit comfort as you get to know your technology.
- Follow Up. Your professional is there to help each step of the way. Once you’re comfortable with your hearing aids, it’s a good idea to check in on your baseline of hearing loss to ensure your devices are keeping up with your lifestyle. Regular maintenance and cleaning also helps your hearing aids function at their best.
- Share the Message! The vast majority of hearing aid users report improvements in quality of life and most wish they would have taken steps sooner to address hearing loss. This Better Hearing Month, and all year round, share the message of hearing health with friends and family. Downloadable and shareable resources are available at hearing.org.
This Better Hearing Month, take control of your hearing health. Learn more at hearing.org.
