When is it time to get a hearing exam? Here are four indicators that you need to have your hearing assessed.
I guess my TV is frequently cranked up to the point where my kids recently complained. Do you know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was amusing. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And I started to ask myself: should I get a hearing test?
There aren’t really that many excuses not to schedule yourself for a hearing exam. Hearing tests don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. You’ve probably just been putting it on the back-burner.
You should really be more diligent about keeping track of your hearing because, if left unchecked, it can impact your overall health.
Hearing assessments are essential for many reasons. Even mild hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s virtually impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing assessment.
So when should you have a hearing test? Here are a few ways to tell if you need to consult with us.
You should get your hearing tested if you observe these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been noticing symptoms of hearing loss recently. Obviously, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.
But some of the other indications of hearing loss are more subtle:
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s clarity not volume you have to worry about. Difficulty making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. It may be time for a hearing exam if you detect this occurring more and more frequently.
- Persistent ringing in your ears: Ringing in your ears, which is called tinnitus, is frequently a sign of hearing damage. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t go away, it might or might not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t clear itself up, you should definitely call us for a hearing assessment.
- You have a difficult time hearing when you’re in a noisy environment: Have you ever been to a busy or noisy room and had trouble hearing the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That could actually be an indication of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one sign of a healthy ear; this ability tends to diminish as hearing loss progresses.
- You always miss alerts for text messages: Your phone (or mobile device, as they’re called now) is designed to be loud. So if you keep noticing text messages or calls that you failed to hear, it’s probably because you couldn’t hear them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re failing to hear more common sounds.
Here are some other circumstances that indicate you should schedule a hearing screening:
- It’s challenging to pinpoint the origin of sounds
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
- You regularly use certain medications that are known to have an effect on your hearing.
- You have an accumulation of ear wax you’re body can’t clear on your own
This list is certainly not exhaustive. There are other instances of warning signs (if, for instance, the volume on your TV is maxed out and you still wish it could go just a little louder). But any one of these signs is worth looking into.
Regular checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. So how frequently should you have your hearing checked? There’s a guideline for everything, right, so there’s got to be a guideline for this. Well, yes, there are recommendations.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should have a hearing test. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing appears healthy. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these huge periods of time.
- You’ll want to get tested immediately if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
Routine examinations can help you detect hearing loss before any red flags appear. You will have a better chance of maintaining your hearing over time the sooner you get tested. So it’s time to pick up the phone and schedule a hearing test.
