When is it time to have your hearing checked? Here are four clues that you should have your hearing tested.
Recently, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was humorous. Because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting progressively louder. And I began to wonder: should I have my hearing tested?
It really doesn’t make much sense to avoid getting a hearing test. Hearing tests don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. It’s really just that you haven’t put aside time to do it.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more diligent about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t gotten worse.
Hearing evaluations are important for a wide variety of reasons. It’s usually challenging for you to identify the earliest indications of hearing loss without one, and even slight hearing loss can affect your health.
So when should you have your hearing tested? Here are several ways to know if you need to consult with us.
You should get your hearing tested if you experience these signs
If you’ve recently observed any of the signs of hearing loss, it’s definitely a smart idea to get a professional hearing screening. 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 much less obvious:
- It sounds like everybody’s always mumbling: In some cases, it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. Trouble following along with conversations is one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your hearing. If you experience this happening more often, you may want to schedule a hearing exam.
- It’s tough to hear in noisy places: Have you ever had a difficult time keeping up with conversations because of background noise in a busy room? That may actually be an indication of hearing loss. Being able to isolate sounds is one sign of a healthy ear; this ability tends to decline as hearing loss worsens.
- You’re always missing text messages: Your cellphone (or mobile device, as they’re called now) is designed to be loud. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it may be because you aren’t hearing them. And if you can’t 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 typically a sign of hearing damage. Ringing in the ear might or might not point to hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t clear itself up, you should definitely call us for a hearing test.
This list isn’t thorough, here are a few more:
- You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
- Your ear is still plugged after an infection
- Your ears are not removing earwax completely
- You have vertigo
- It’s difficult to determine the source of sounds
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 smart plan to follow up on any of these symptoms.
Regular examinations
But what if, to your awareness, you haven’t encountered any of these possible symptoms of hearing impairment? 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, in fact, some suggestions.
- Get a primary test done sometime after you’re 21. That way, you’ll have a baseline of your mature hearing.
- Every three years or so will be a practical schedule if your hearing seems normal. That can be a long time to pay attention to, so make sure they’re noted in your medical records somewhere.
- You’ll want to get checked right away if you detect any signs of hearing loss and after that once every year.
Regular screenings can help you detect hearing loss before any red flags appear. The earlier you find treatment, the better you’ll be able to protect your hearing into the future. So it’s time to give us a call and make an appointment for a hearing test.