When should you get a hearing test? Here are four signs that you should get your hearing checked.
Recently, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. You know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. But it also wasn’t. I have needed to turn the TV up increasingly louder as of late. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing assessment.
It really doesn’t make much sense to avoid getting 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.
You should really be more diligent about staying on top of your hearing because, if left untreated, it can impact your general health.
Hearing assessments are important for a wide variety of reasons. It’s usually challenging for you to identify the earliest signs of hearing loss without one, and even slight hearing loss can affect your health.
So how will you know if you should make an appointment? Here are several ways to know if you need to consult with us.
You should have your hearing tested if you notice these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been experiencing signs 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 loss that are much less obvious:
- Ringing that won’t subside: Ringing in your ears, which goes by the name of tinnitus, is frequently a symptom of hearing damage. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t stop, it might or might not be a sign of hearing loss. But it’s certainly a sign that you should schedule a hearing exam.
- You always miss alerts for text messages: Mobile devices are made to be loud enough for you to hear. So if you’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it may be because you aren’t hearing them. And if you can’t hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- You have a hard time hearing when you’re in a loud environment: Have you ever had a hard time following along with conversations because of ambient noise in a crowded room? If this sounds familiar you could be developing hearing loss. As your hearing goes from healthy to impaired, one of the first signs is the loss of the ability to identify distinct sounds.
- It seems like people are mumbling when they speak: Sometimes, it’s not loss of volume you need to be concerned with, it’s a loss of definition. One of the first indications of hearing loss is trouble making out conversations. If you experience this happening more often, you might want to schedule a hearing test.
This list isn’t thorough, here are a few more:
- You have an ear infection and it won’t clear up
- You can’t easily determine where particular sounds are originating
- You take certain medications that can damage your hearing
- You experience vertigo
- Your ears aren’t removing earwax completely
This list is in no way exhaustive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. It would be a good idea to look into any of these symptoms.
Routine checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. Is there a guideline for how often you should go get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, actually, some recommendations.
- Get a baseline assessment done sometime after you’re 21. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- If your hearing is healthy, have hearing screenings or tests every three years or so. 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 tested immediately if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
It will be easier to identify any hearing loss before any warning signs become apparent with regular screenings. You will have a better chance of protecting your hearing over time the sooner you get checked. So it’s time to pick up the phone and make an appointment for a hearing examination.