When should you have your hearing tested? You need a hearing test if you have any of these four signs.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my television was. And guess what I said. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was amusing. But, in some ways, it was anything but funny. The TV has been getting progressively 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 assessment. Hearing tests don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. You’ve most likely just been putting it off.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more vigilant about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t gotten worse.
There are a lot of good reasons why hearing evaluations are important. Even mild hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s virtually impossible to recognize early hearing loss without a hearing test.
So how can you recognize if you should make an appointment? Here are several ways to tell if you need to consult with us.
You should have your hearing tested if you observe these signs
If you’ve recently encountered any of the signs of hearing loss, it’s definitely a good plan to get a professional hearing screening. Obviously, 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 obvious:
- Chronic ringing in your ears: Ringing in your ears, which goes by the name of tinnitus, is often a sign of hearing damage. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t stop, it may or may not be a sign of hearing loss. But it’s definitely a sign that you should schedule a hearing exam.
- You’re always missing text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to be able to hear. So if you keep finding text messages or calls that you failed to hear, it’s most likely because you couldn’t hear them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more common sounds.
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: Often, it’s clearness not volume you need to be concerned about. Difficulty making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going bad with your hearing. If you notice this happening more and more, you might want to make an appointment for a hearing test.
- You have a difficult time hearing when you’re in a noisy setting: Have you ever had a difficult time keeping up with conversations because of ambient noise in a crowded room? That may actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of a healthy ear; this ability tends to diminish as hearing loss worsens.
This list is not thorough, here are a few more:
- Your ears are not clearing earwax completely
- You have vertigo
- It’s difficult to determine the source of sounds
- You take specific medications that can damage your hearing
- You have an ear infection and it won’t clear up
This list is in no way exhaustive. There are other examples 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 plan to look into any of these symptoms.
Regular examinations
But what if, to your knowledge, you haven’t experienced any of these possible signs 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 else, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, in fact, some recommendations.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should get a hearing assessment. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- If your hearing is normal, undergo hearing examinations or tests every three years or so. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these long periods of time.
- If you notice signs of hearing loss, you will want to have it checked immediately, and then yearly after that.
It will be easier to uncover any hearing loss before any red flags become obvious with routine screenings. The earlier you seek treatment, the better you’ll be able to maintain your hearing into the future. Which means, you should probably turn your TV down and schedule a hearing test.