When should you get a hearing test? Here are four clues that you should get your hearing checked.
I guess my TV is frequently turned up to the point where my kids recently complained. And guess what my reply was. I said, “What”? It was humorous. Because it was a joke. But, in reality, it was anything but funny. The TV has been getting progressively louder. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing test.
There aren’t really that many excuses not to schedule yourself for a hearing exam. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t need to worry about discomfort. You’ve most likely just been putting it on the back-burner.
You should really be more vigilant about keeping track of your hearing because, if left untreated, it can impact your general health.
Hearing evaluations are essential for a wide variety of reasons. It’s often difficult for you to identify the earliest signs of hearing loss without one, and even slight hearing impairment can impact your health.
So when should you get a hearing test? Here are several ways to know if you need to consult with us.
You should have your hearing tested if you observe these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been noticing symptoms of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a strong indication of hearing loss if you’re having a difficult time hearing.
But some of the other indications of hearing loss are more subtle:
- It sounds like everyone’s always mumbling: Sometimes, it’s clarity not volume you need to be concerned about. One of the first signs of hearing loss is trouble making out conversations. It may be time for a hearing test if you observe this occurring more and more often.
- You always miss alerts for text messages: Your cellphone (or mobile device, as they’re called these days) is made to be loud. So if you keep noticing text messages or calls that you failed to hear, it’s most likely because you couldn’t hear them. And perhaps, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
- It’s tough to hear in noisy locations: Have you ever been to a busy or noisy room and had difficulty hearing the conversation because of all the background noise? If this sounds familiar you could be developing hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of healthy hearing; this ability tends to wane as hearing loss advances.
- Ringing that won’t clear itself up: Ringing in your ears, which is called tinnitus, is typically a sign of hearing damage. Ringing in the ear may or may not indicate hearing loss. But it’s definitely a sign that you should get a hearing assessment.
This list isn’t exhaustive, here are a few more:
- You have an ear infection and it won’t clear up
- You can’t readily determine where particular sounds are coming from
- Your ears are not clearing earwax completely
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- You regularly use certain medications that are recognized to have an impact on your hearing.
This checklist is by no means exhaustive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. It would be a smart idea to look into any of these symptoms.
Regular examinations
But how should you deal with it when you’re not certain if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. So how frequently should you get your hearing tested? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, in fact, some suggestions.
- Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- 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 marked in your medical records somewhere.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, you will want to have it assessed right away, and then yearly after that.
It will be easier to discover any hearing loss before any red flags become obvious with routine examinations. You will have a better chance of preserving your hearing over time the sooner you get examined. So it’s time to pick up the phone and schedule a hearing examination.
