Why is it important to get your hearing tested on a regular basis? Well, the truth is that hearing loss can have substantial and long-term impacts on your overall wellness. Getting your hearing evaluated regularly can help you detect hearing loss early, get care sooner, and, improve your health, wellness, and quality of life.
Who should get a hearing exam?
Your health and well-being can be significantly affected by neglected hearing loss. For example, hearing loss can result in extreme social isolation. Even while carrying out tasks like going to the store, people with hearing loss will often avoid reaching out to family and friends because they have a hard time understanding conversations. This kind of social isolation can be harmful to your mental health and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, your physical well-being.
Other health issues can be the result of neglected hearing loss also. Numerous chronic conditions, including depression and dementia, have been linked to untreated hearing loss. Comorbidities, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease have also been linked to hearing loss.
This means that it’s generally a good plan for just about anyone to schedule a routine hearing test.
Four reasons to check your hearing
There are four significant reasons why checking your hearing can be worthwhile to your overall health.
1. Setting a baseline for your hearing is important
It might seem foolish to get your hearing tested while your hearing is still healthy, right? Well, getting a hearing exam early is a good plan for a number of reasons. Your present level of hearing can be determined by a hearing test and that’s probably the most important thing. This will make it much easier to identify any changes in the future. Early symptoms of hearing loss frequently go undetected because hearing loss usually develops slowly over time.
Before you notice any symptoms, a hearing exam will help detect hearing loss in its early stages.
2. Diagnose and treat issues earlier
Hearing loss typically progresses slowly over time. You’ll have a better prognosis, as a result, if you catch your hearing loss early. If you treat the condition as early as possible, you will have more positive results.
Early treatment might include anything from taking measures to protect your hearing like using ear protection in loud spaces to using hearing aids. Many of the associated issues like cognitive decline, social isolation, and depression can be avoided with early treatment.
3. Future changes will be easier to evaluate
Your hearing loss will continue to progress even after you get diagnosed. Regular hearing tests can facilitate early detection and your treatment plan can be modified as needed.
4. You can prevent additional damage to your ears
Hearing loss that develops gradually over time is normally caused by damage. Visiting us regularly to get your hearing assessed helps you detect that damage as early as possible, and it also gives you access to a significant resource: your hearing specialist. We can help you keep your ears as healthy as possible by providing you with treatments, best practices, and information.
For example, we can help you figure out ways to protect your ears from day-to-day damage or establish strategies designed to help you keep sounds around you quieter.
How frequently should I have my hearing examined?
On the earlier side, adults should wait no longer than their early twenties to start routine hearing tests. It’s normally standard best practice to get a hearing test every ten years thereafter unless you detect signs of hearing loss or we recommend something more often.
What should I expect my hearing test to be like? In general, they’re entirely non-invasive procedures. Typically, you simply listen for some tones in a special set of headphones.
We will be able to help you get the care you need, whether you need a pair of hearing aids or you just need to protect your ears. And a hearing test can help you determine when the best time to get your care may be.