When should you schedule a hearing evaluation? Here are a few signs you should have your hearing assessed.

Recently, my children expressed displeasure with the loud volume of the TV. Do you know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was amusing because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The volume of the TV has been escalating. And I started to wonder: Should I get a hearing test?

There aren’t many good reasons not to schedule a hearing test. They are non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without worries about your comfort level. You just need to take a brief moment to set up an appointment.

Considering how much neglected hearing loss can influence your health, it’s important to be more cautious about it.

You should have your hearing assessed if you observe these signs

If you’ve recently experienced any symptoms of hearing loss, it’s probably a good idea to get a professional hearing screening. If it’s hard to hear, it most likely means there’s significant hearing impairment.

• Background noise can be overwhelming: Have you ever struggled to focus on a conversation in a noisy or crowded setting, where the surrounding din makes it hard to hear every word? That could be a sign of hearing loss.
• People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The issue might not always be volume but instead clarity.
• You’re always overlooking text messages: Your phone is designed to be loud. So, if you’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it could be because you aren’t hearing them.
• Relentless ringing sound: A continuous sensation of ringing in your ears, referred to as tinnitus, is often a sign of damage to your hearing.

Other indications you should schedule a hearing test:

• Your ear is still blocked following an infection
• Surplus earwax has accumulated and can not be eliminated by self-cleaning methods
• You take specific medications that can harm your hearing
• Distinguishing where sounds are coming from can be difficult
• You have vertigo

Regular checkups

But what if you haven’t noticed any of these indications of hearing loss? Is there a criteria for how frequently you should get your hearing checked?

• Get a baseline test done at some point after you turn 21.
• If your hearing is healthy, undergo hearing assessments every three years.
• If you demonstrate signs of hearing loss, have it checked immediately and then every year after that.

Routine screenings might detect hearing loss early, before any warning signs are obvious. The sooner you get treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing over time. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.