When should you schedule a hearing exam? Here are a few signs that suggest you should have your hearing evaluated.
Recently, my children expressed displeasure with the high volume of the TV. Do you want to know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was meant to be funny. But there’s nothing funny about untreated hearing loss. The volume of the TV has been increasing. And I began to think about whether I should set up a hearing test.
There aren’t many reasons not to arrange a hearing test. They’re non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without concerns about your comfort level. Just take a quick moment to book an appointment.
Given the considerable impact that neglected hearing loss can have on your general well-being, it’s crucial to be proactive about keeping an eye on your hearing.
You should have your hearing tested if you observe these signs
If you’ve recently noticed any signs of hearing loss, it’s most likely a good plan to get a professional hearing assessment. Clearly, if things are hard to hear, that’s a rather strong indication of hearing loss.
- Background noise can be overwhelming: Have you ever strained to focus on a conversation in a loud or crowded space, where the surrounding din makes it hard to hear every word? It’s possible that this might be an indication of a loss of hearing.
- People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The problem might not always be volume but instead clarity.
- You’re always missing text messages: Your phone is designed to be loud. So, if you’re always missing calls or text messages, it could be because you’re noy hearing them.
- Persistent ringing sound: A constant sensation of ringing in your ears, knowned as tinnitus, is often an indication of damage to your hearing.
Here are a few other situations that indicate you should arrange a hearing screening:
- Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
- You have an accumulation of earwax you can’t remove by yourself
- You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
- Identifying where sounds are originating from can be challenging
- You’re experiencing balance issues
Routine hearing assessments
But what if you haven’t noticed any of these signs of hearing loss? Is there a criteria for how often you should get your hearing checked?
- Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21.
- For people with normal hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing assessment every three years.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, have it checked out immediately and then annually after that.
Routine assessments can help you identify hearing loss before any warnings appear. The earlier you get treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing in the long run. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.