When should you get a hearing evaluation? Here are a few indications that suggest you should get your hearing checked.
Recently, my children expressed displeasure with the loud 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 comical about untreated hearing loss. The volume of the TV has been escalating. And I started to question whether I should set up a hearing exam.
There aren’t many reasons not to arrange a hearing test. They are non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without concerns about your level of comfort. You just need to take a brief minute to book an appointment.
Given the significant effect that unaddressed hearing loss can have on your general well-being, it’s critical to be proactive about monitoring your hearing.
Signs you should get a hearing test
If you’ve detected any recent changes that may be a sign of hearing loss, scheduling a comprehensive hearing evaluation with a professional is probably a wise decision. If it’s hard to hear, it likely means there’s significant hearing impairment.
- It’s hard to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy room and had difficulty keeping up with the conversation because of all the background noise? That may be an indication of hearing loss.
- 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 clarity.
- You’re always missing text messages: Your phone is made to be loud. So, if you’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it might be because you aren’t hearing them.
- Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, is typically an indication of hearing damage.
Here are a few other situations that indicate you should arrange a hearing evaluation:
- Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
- You have a buildup of earwax you can’t get rid of by yourself
- You take certain medications that can damage your hearing
- It is hard to determine the source of sounds
- You have vertigo
Routine checkups
Even if you’re not experiencing any noticeable symptoms, it’s still significant to schedule regular hearing exams.
- It is recommended to have a baseline test carried out after reaching the age of 21.
- If your hearing is healthy, get hearing screenings every three years.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, have it checked right away and then every year after that.
Routine screenings might identify hearing loss early, before any symptom are obvious. Prompt professional attention can dramatically increase your chances of maintaining healthy hearing over time. So you should decrease the volume on your television and consider aranging a hearing evaluation.