When should you have your hearing tested? Here are four signs that you need to get your hearing checked.
Recently, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was funny. Because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. I have needed to turn the TV up louder and louder as of late. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing assessment.
There aren’t all that many reasons not to make an appointment for 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 diligent about staying on top of your hearing because, if left untreated, it can affect your general health.
There are lots of good reasons why hearing assessments are important. It’s often hard for you to identify the earliest indications of hearing loss without one, and even mild hearing impairment can affect your health.
So when should you get your hearing tested? Here are several ways to know if you need to consult with us.
You should have your hearing tested if you experience these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing assessment if you’ve been experiencing signs of hearing loss recently. Naturally, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty strong indication of hearing loss.
But that’s not the only indicator, and there are some signs of hearing loss that are far less apparent:
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Mobile devices are made to be loud enough for you to be able to hear. So if you keep finding text messages or calls that you missed, it’s most likely because you didn’t hear them. And if you’re unable to hear your mobile device, what else might you be missing?
- Persistent ringing in your ears: Ringing in your ears, which goes by the name of tinnitus, is often a symptom of hearing damage. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t stop, it may or may not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t go away, you should absolutely call us for a hearing assessment.
- It sounds like everyone’s mumbling all the time: In some cases, it’s not loss of volume you have to be concerned with, it’s a loss of definition. One of the first signs of hearing loss is difficulty following conversations. If you experience this happening more often, you may want to make an appointment for a hearing exam.
- 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 trouble hearing the conversation because of all the ambient noise? 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 specific sounds.
This list is not thorough, here are a few more:
- You have an accumulation of ear wax you’re body can’t clear by itself
- You regularly use specific medications that are known to have an impact on your hearing.
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- Your ear is still plugged after an ear infection
- It’s challenging to determine the source of sounds
This checklist, obviously, isn’t thorough. For instance, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. But any one of these signs is worth looking into.
Regular checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not sure if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. So how frequently should you get your hearing screened? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. Well, yes, there are suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should have a hearing test. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- Every three years or so will be a practical schedule if your hearing appears healthy. 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 assessed right away if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once every year.
It will be easier to uncover any hearing loss before any warning signs become obvious with regular examinations. You will have a better chance of maintaining your hearing over time the sooner you get tested. Which means, you should probably turn your TV down and make an appointment for a hearing test.