When is it time to get a hearing exam? You need a hearing test if you have any of these four signs.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my television was. 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 increasingly louder lately. And I began to ask myself: should I have my hearing tested?
It really doesn’t make much sense to avoid getting a hearing assessment. Hearing assessments don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there isn’t any radiation. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
Considering how much neglected hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more diligent about making sure your hearing impairment hasn’t gotten worse.
Hearing exams are important for many reasons. It’s usually hard for you to discover the earliest signs of hearing loss without one, and even mild hearing loss can impact your health.
So when should you get a hearing test? Here are some indications that it’s time.
Signs you should get a hearing test
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been noticing signs of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a powerful indication of hearing loss if you’re having a hard time hearing.
But that’s not the only indicator, and there are some signs of hearing impairment that are much less obvious:
- It’s difficult to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever had a hard time following along with conversations because of ambient noise in a crowded room? 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 specific sounds.
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s not loss of volume you need to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. Trouble following along with conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. If you notice this happening more and more, you may want to schedule a hearing test.
- Persistent ringing in your ears: Ringing in your ears, which goes by the name of tinnitus, is typically a sign of hearing damage. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t go away, it might or might not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t clear itself up, you should definitely come see us for a hearing evaluation.
- You’re always missing text messages: Your cellphone (or mobile device, as they’re called these days) is made to be loud. So if you keep finding text messages or calls that you missed, it’s most likely because you couldn’t hear them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
Here are several other situations that show you should schedule a hearing evaluation:
- You regularly use specific medications that are known to have an effect on your hearing.
- You have vertigo
- You can’t easily detect where particular sounds are originating
- You have an ear infection and it won’t go away
- Your ears are not clearing earwax completely
This list, obviously, is not extensive. For example, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. It would be a smart plan to look into any of these signs.
Routine checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not sure if you have any signs of hearing loss. 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 recommendations.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you need to have a hearing test. That way, you’ll have a baseline of your mature hearing.
- If your hearing is normal, have hearing examinations 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.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, you will want to have it tested right away, and then annually after that.
Regular examinations can help you identify hearing loss before any red flags appear. You will have a better chance of preserving your hearing over time the sooner you get tested. So it’s time to give us a call and schedule a hearing assessment.