When should you get a hearing test? Here are four indicators that you should have your hearing assessed.
I guess my TV is frequently turned up to the point where my kids recently complained. And guess what I said. I said, “What”? It was humorous. Because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. I have needed to turn the TV up louder and louder as of late. And I started to ask myself: should I get a hearing test?
There aren’t all that many reasons not to make an appointment for a hearing test. Hearing tests don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more diligent about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t gotten worse.
Hearing assessments are essential for a wide variety of reasons. Even slight hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s almost impossible to detect early hearing loss without a hearing test.
So how will you know if you should make an appointment? Here are some clues that it’s time.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
It’s time to get a professional hearing assessment if you’ve been noticing symptoms of hearing loss recently. Obviously, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty strong indication of hearing loss.
But that’s not the only symptom, and there are some signs of hearing impairment that are far less apparent:
- Persistent ringing in your ears: Ringing in your ears, which is called tinnitus, is often a symptom of hearing damage. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t stop, 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 test.
- You have a hard time hearing when you’re in a loud setting: Have you ever been to a crowded or loud space and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That could actually be a sign of hearing loss. As your hearing goes from healthy to impaired, one of the first warning signs is the loss of the ability to isolate distinct sounds.
- It seems like people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of definition. Difficulty following along with conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. It may be time for a hearing screening if you notice this happening more and more frequently.
- 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’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it may be because you can’t hear them. And perhaps, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
Here are some other circumstances that show you should make an appointment for a hearing screening:
- You can’t easily determine where particular sounds are originating
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- You regularly use certain medications that are known to have an effect on your hearing.
- Your ears aren’t removing earwax completely
- Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
This checklist, clearly, isn’t extensive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is maxed and you still can’t hear it. But any one of these signs is worth following up on.
Regular checkups
But what if, to your awareness, you haven’t encountered any of these possible signs of hearing impairment? Is there a guideline for how frequently you should go get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything else, this one seems like a no-brainer. Well, yes, there are suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you need to have a hearing assessment. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing appears healthy. That can be a long time to pay attention to, so make sure they’re noted in your medical records somewhere.
- You’ll want to get checked right away if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
It will be easier to discover any hearing loss before any warning signs become obvious with routine examinations. The earlier you seek treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing in the long run. So it’s time to give us a call and schedule a hearing assessment.