When is it time to get a hearing exam? Here are four indicators that you should have your hearing tested.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my television was. And guess what my reply was. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was amusing. But it also wasn’t. I have needed to turn the TV up increasingly louder lately. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing test.
It really doesn’t make much sense to neglect getting a hearing assessment. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t need to worry about discomfort. You’ve probably just been putting it off.
You should really be more vigilant about staying on top of your hearing because, if left unchecked, it can impact your general health.
Hearing evaluations are essential for many reasons. It’s often difficult for you to discover the earliest indications of hearing loss without one, and even slight hearing loss can affect your health.
So how will you know if you should schedule an appointment? Here are several ways to tell if you need to consult with us.
Signs you should get a hearing test
If you’ve recently observed any of the symptoms of hearing loss, it’s probably a smart plan to get a professional hearing screening. Obviously, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty strong indication of hearing loss.
But some of the other indications of hearing loss are more subtle:
- It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: In some cases, it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. Difficulty following along with conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. If you notice this happening more often, you might want to schedule a hearing exam.
- Chronic ringing in your ears: A common sign of damaged hearing is a ringing in the ears, also called tinnitus. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t stop, it may or may not be a symptom of hearing loss. But it’s definitely a sign that you should schedule a hearing assessment.
- You’re always missing text messages: Your phone (or mobile device, as they’re called these days) is designed to be loud. So if you’re continuously missing calls or text messages, it might be because you aren’t hearing them. And if you’re unable to hear your mobile device, what else might you be missing?
- It’s difficult to hear in noisy locations: Have you ever had a hard time keeping up with conversations because of ambient noise in a busy room? That could actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of a healthy ear; this ability tends to diminish as hearing loss worsens.
Here are several other situations that indicate you should schedule a hearing exam:
- It’s challenging to pinpoint the origin of sounds
- Your ears are not removing earwax completely
- You regularly use certain medications that are known to have an impact on your hearing.
- you’re experiencing an ear infection and it won’t go away
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
This list, obviously, isn’t complete. There are other instances of red flags (if, for example, the volume on your TV is maxed out and you still wish it could go just a little bit louder). It would be a smart plan to look into any of these signs.
Routine examinations
But what if, to your awareness, you haven’t encountered any of these potential symptoms of hearing loss? Is there a guideline for how frequently you should go get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, in fact, some suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you need to have a hearing assessment. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- If your hearing is healthy, have hearing examinations or tests every three years or so. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these large periods of time.
- You’ll want to get checked immediately if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once every year.
It will be easier to uncover any hearing loss before any warning signs become obvious with regular examinations. You will have a better chance of preserving your hearing over time the sooner you get checked. So it’s time to give us a call and make an appointment for a hearing assessment.