When is it time to get a hearing exam? Here are four clues that you should get your hearing assessed.
I guess my TV is regularly turned up to the point where my kids recently complained. And guess what my reply was. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting progressively louder. And that got me thinking that maybe it’s time for a hearing test.
There aren’t really that many excuses not to make an appointment for a hearing exam. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t need to worry about discomfort. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more vigilant about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t worsened.
There are a lot of good reasons why hearing assessments are essential. Even mild hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s virtually impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing examination.
So how can you recognize if you should schedule an appointment? Here are some signs 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 symptoms of hearing loss recently. Obviously, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.
But some of the other signs of hearing loss are more subtle:
- It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: Sometimes, it’s clearness not volume you have to worry about. One of the earlier symptoms of hearing loss is trouble making out conversations. If you notice this happening more and more, you might want to make an appointment for a hearing exam.
- You’re always missing text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to hear. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it may be because you can’t hear them. And perhaps, when you think about it, you’re failing to hear more everyday sounds.
- You have a difficult time hearing when you’re in a noisy setting: Have you ever been to a crowded or loud room and had trouble hearing the conversation because of all the ambient noise? If this sounds familiar you could be experiencing hearing loss. As your hearing progresses from healthy to impaired, one of the first signs is the loss of the ability to isolate specific sounds.
- Ringing that won’t subside: Ringing in your ears, which is called tinnitus, is frequently a symptom of hearing damage. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t go away, it might or might not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t stop, you should definitely call us for a hearing evaluation.
Here are a few other situations that show you should make an appointment for a hearing exam:
- Your ear is still plugged after an infection
- You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
- It’s difficult to pinpoint the origin of sounds
- Your ears aren’t clearing earwax thoroughly
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
This list, obviously, isn’t complete. For instance, if your TV’s volume is maxed and you still can’t hear it. It would be a good plan to look into any of these signs.
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 often you should go get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, actually, some suggestions.
- Get a baseline assessment done sometime after you’re 21. That way, you’ll have a baseline of your mature hearing.
- If your hearing is normal, undergo hearing examinations or tests every three years or so. But be sure you mark these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these large periods of time.
- You’ll want to get checked right away if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
It will be easier to discover any hearing loss before any warning signs become apparent with regular screenings. The earlier you obtain treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing in the long run. So it’s time to pick up the phone and make an appointment for a hearing examination.