When should you have your hearing tested? Here are four clues that you should have your hearing checked.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. And guess what I said. I said, “What”? It was funny. Because it was a joke. But, in reality, it was anything but funny. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing test.
It really doesn’t make much sense to neglect getting a hearing test. They aren’t invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t have to worry about discomfort. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
You should really be more vigilant about staying on top of your hearing because, if left untreated, it can impact your general health.
Hearing evaluations are important for many reasons. Even mild hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s almost impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing examination.
So how will you know if you should make an appointment? Here are a few ways to tell if you need to come see us.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
If you’ve recently observed any of the symptoms of hearing loss, it’s probably a good plan to get a professional hearing exam. Naturally, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.
But that’s not the only symptom, and there are some signs of hearing loss that are far less apparent:
- Ringing that won’t clear itself up: A typical sign of damaged hearing is a ringing in the ears, also called tinnitus. Ringing in the ear might or might not indicate hearing loss. But it’s definitely an indication that you should get a hearing exam.
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to be able to hear. So if you keep noticing text messages or calls that you missed, it’s probably because you didn’t hear them. And if you can’t hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- You have a tough time hearing when you’re in a noisy setting: Have you ever been to a busy or loud room and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That could actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to isolate sounds is one sign of healthy hearing; this ability tends to diminish as hearing loss advances.
- It sounds like everyone’s always mumbling: Sometimes, it’s clearness not volume you need to be concerned about. Difficulty following along with conversations is one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your hearing. If you notice this happening more and more, you may want to schedule a hearing test.
Here are some other circumstances that indicate you should schedule a hearing exam:
- It’s challenging to determine the source of sounds
- You experience vertigo
- You have an ear infection and it won’t go away
- You have a buildup of ear wax you’re body can’t clear on your own
- You regularly use certain medications that are known to have an effect on your hearing.
This checklist is certainly not exhaustive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is maxed and you still can’t hear it. But any one of these signs is worth following up on.
Routine examinations
But how should you deal with it when you’re not sure if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. Is there a guideline for how frequently you should schedule a hearing exam? There’s a guideline for everything, right, so there’s got to be a guideline for this. There are, in fact, some recommendations.
- Get a primary exam done sometime after you’re 21. That way, you’ll have a standard of your mature hearing.
- If your hearing is healthy, have hearing screenings or tests every three years or so. But make sure you mark these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these huge periods of time.
- You’ll want to get checked immediately if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
Routine screenings can help you identify hearing loss before any warning signs appear. You will have a better chance of maintaining your hearing over time the sooner you get checked. So it’s time to give us a call and schedule a hearing assessment.