Our world has been flipped on its head by the COVID-19 pandemic. Going to the grocery store, heading to the office, dropping the kids off at school; none of it is the same as it was at the beginning of this year.
The pandemic has also changed our approaches to basic healthcare, where something as simple as an annual physical may be far different than years past. From hearing loss management to mental health to changing your medication, here are some ways COVID is changing how we manage our health.
Hearing Tests
As you find yourself stuck at home, you may have noticed that your hearing isn’t quite what it used to be. Whether it’s having to raise the TV volume with your remote control or a noticeable ringing in the ears, hearing loss may be more of a concern for you than ever.
While in-person appointments with audiologists are limited these days, online hearing tests are available to assess where your audible issues may lie. If you discover that a hearing aid may be needed for the highest hearing performance, you can look into the latest treatments and equipment, including the Signia hearing aid for hearing loss and other hearing needs.
Signia hearing aids are designed with rechargeable batteries to make for superior connectivity and audio quality with daily use, including the ability to stream audio, like phone calls, TV, and music. A pair of hearing aids has become almost minimal accessories, down to the size where they can barely be seen, and create a natural experience of hearing.
Mental Health
In this current state of affairs where we are restricted to our household for most of the day, mental health is more important than ever. Thankfully, telemedicine has allowed patients to continue a high level of therapeutic care from the comfort of their homes. With the touch of a button, online therapy is right at your fingertips, allowing mental healthcare to be more accessible to those at home in quarantine. Dr. Bruce Rubenstein, a board-certified psychiatrist for over 25 years, has found that psychotherapy has gotten people through the most difficult of time while reflecting on the important things that give them stability in their lives.
There has become more of a personal preference towards telemedicine, as it spares traveling to a doctor’s office and allows for a more open calendar to conduct psychiatry appointments remotely with your smartphone.
Vision Tests
Just like hearing tests and therapy sessions, online vision exams are able to evaluate your eyesight with just the touch of a button on your computer or iPhone. Online vision tests can determine how sharp your sight is, as well as your sensitivity to light, color-blindness, or the possibility of astigmatism brought on by blurry vision.
Online vision tests are designed for healthy adults who already have a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, and are at no risk for eye disease, like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Some of these tests are accessible through apps on your smartphone, with results that can direct you to proper ophthalmologic care. Some apps not only allow you to book follow-up appointments with a registered professional, they let you purchase glasses and contact lenses with a fresh prescription for your eyesight.
Physical Examination
Doctor’s offices and hospitals have found themselves forced to adapt to these difficult times, with limited in-person capabilities. However, physicians are now finding innovative ways to take on appointments, while respecting COVID-19 protocols.
Medical practices have allowed for appointments to take place in person with limited physical contact, with masks and other PPE required depending on the patient. Telemedicine appointments are available with the touch of a button, with a surge in sessions conducted over a computer or iPhone.
With so many questions on the future of healthcare, hospitals are adjusting to surge capacity and restructuring workforces to allow for accessibility to medication for patients, as well as standards of care known before. Whether you need to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, a psychiatry professional, or conduct an online eye exam; you can still proceed with important healthcare treatments from the safety of your own home.
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