At what point should you think about getting your hearing evaluated? Here are some signs that reveal you should get your hearing tested.

The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you 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 TV has been getting louder and louder. And I began to ponder: Should I get a hearing exam?

There’s no good reason to avoid scheduling 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. You just need to take a brief moment to schedule an appointment.

Considering how much untreated hearing loss can impact your health, it’s important to be more cautious about it.

Signs you should get a hearing test

If you’ve detected any recent changes that may be a sign of hearing loss, booking a comprehensive hearing evaluation with a professional is probably a smart decision. Clearly, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a fairly strong indication of hearing loss.

• It’s hard to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had trouble keeping up with the conversation because of all the background noise? It’s possible that this could be an indication of a loss of hearing.
• It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: Sometimes it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of definition.
• You regularly overlook text messages: Your phone is intended to be loud. If you regularly fail to notice incoming calls or texts, the issue may be that you’re not able to hear them.
• Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, is typically an indication of hearing damage.

Other indications you should schedule a hearing test:

• Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
• You have an accumulation of earwax you can’t remove on your own
• Medicines you’re using might be damaging your hearing
• It is difficult to pinpoint the source of sounds
• You have vertigo

Routine hearing evaluations

Even if you’re not observing any obvious symptoms, it’s still important to schedule regular hearing tests.

• Get a baseline test done at some point after you turn 21.
• For people with typical hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing exam every three years.
• If you display signs of hearing impairment, have it assessed right away and then yearly afterwards.

Routine screenings might detect hearing loss early, before any warning signs are obvious. The earlier you get treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing in the long run. So you should decrease the volume on your television and think about aranging a hearing assessment.