When is it time to have your hearing checked? You need a hearing exam if you have any of these four signs.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my television was. You know what I said to them? I said, “What”? It was humorous. Because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And I began to ask myself: should I have my hearing tested?
There aren’t all that many excuses not to schedule yourself for a hearing exam. Hearing assessments don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. You’ve most likely just been putting it off.
You should really be more diligent about staying on top of your hearing because, if left unchecked, it can affect your general health.
There are a lot of good reasons why hearing evaluations are essential. Even mild hearing loss can have an impact on your health and it’s almost impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing assessment.
So when should you have a hearing test? Here are several ways to know if you need to come see us.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
It’s time to get a professional hearing assessment if you’ve been noticing signs of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a strong 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 far less apparent:
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Your phone (or mobile device, as they’re called now) is made to be loud. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it might be because you aren’t hearing them. And perhaps, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
- Ringing that won’t subside: A typical sign of injured hearing is a ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus. Ringing in the ear might or might not indicate hearing loss. But it’s definitely an indication that you should schedule a hearing exam.
- It seems like people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s clarity not volume you need to be concerned about. Trouble making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. It may be time for a hearing test if you observe this happening more and more frequently.
- You have a difficult time hearing when you’re in a loud environment: Have you ever had a difficult time following along with conversations because of background noise in a crowded room? That could actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of a healthy ear; this ability tends to decline as hearing loss progresses.
Here are some other situations that show you should schedule a hearing exam:
- It’s challenging to pinpoint the origin of sounds
- Your ears are not removing earwax thoroughly
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- Your ear is still plugged after an ear infection
- You regularly use certain medications that are recognized to have an impact on your hearing.
This list, obviously, isn’t extensive. There are other instances of warning signs (if, for instance, the volume on your TV is maxed out and you still wish it could go just a little bit louder). It would be a good idea to look into any of these symptoms.
Regular examinations
But what if, to your awareness, you haven’t experienced any of these potential signs of hearing impairment? So how frequently should you have your hearing tested? With all of the other guidelines for everything else, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, in fact, some suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you need to get a hearing assessment. That way, you’ll have a baseline of your mature hearing.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing appears healthy. That can be a huge chunk of time to pay attention to, so make certain they’re marked in your medical records somewhere.
- You’ll want to get assessed right away if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
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 tested. Which means, you should probably turn down your TV and make an appointment for a hearing assessment.
