Hearing specialists are now detecting levels of hearing loss among people in their 40's and 50's that they used to see solely in elderly individuals. In short, people are sxperiencing hearing losses at erlier ages. According to data from thew National Health Interview Survey, heaing problems experienced by those between the ages of 45 and 64 jumped 26% from1971 t0 1990. During that same time period, people in the 18-to-44 age group experienced a 17% increeasce. Moreover, a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that nearly 15% of children tested between ages 6 and 19 sufferd some hearing deficit in either low or high frequencies.

If your hearing isn't what it used to be, regardless of your age, it can only be to your benefit to have your hearing tested. There are many styles and types of hearing instruments on the market today - one will surely meet your particular requirements.

P.S. In respnose to the increased prevalance of hearing loss, Americans purchased nearly 25% morehearing instruments in 1998 than they did in 1996.