When should you get a hearing test? Here are four indicators that you need to get your hearing tested.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my television was. And guess what my reply was. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was amusing. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And that got me thinking that maybe it’s time for a hearing test.
It really doesn’t make much sense to avoid getting a hearing test. Hearing assessments don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there isn’t any radiation. You’ve probably just been putting it off.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can impact your health, you really should be more diligent about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t worsened.
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 virtually impossible to detect early hearing loss without a hearing test.
So when should you have your hearing tested? Here are a few ways to tell if you need to consult with us.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been noticing signs of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a strong indication of hearing loss if you’re having a difficult time hearing.
But that’s not the only indicator, and there are some signs of hearing impairment that are much less apparent:
- You have a hard time hearing when you’re in a loud environment: Have you ever been to a busy or noisy room and had difficulty hearing the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That could actually be an indication of hearing loss. As your hearing goes from healthy to impaired, one of the first signs is the loss of the ability to identify distinct sounds.
- You’re always missing text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to hear. So if you’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it might be because you aren’t hearing them. And if you’re unable to hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: In some cases, it’s not loss of volume you need to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. One of the earlier symptoms of hearing loss is trouble making out conversations. If you experience this happening more and more, you may want to schedule a hearing test.
- Chronic ringing in your ears: A common sign of injured hearing is a ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t stop, it might or might not be a sign of hearing loss. But it’s certainly a sign that you should schedule a hearing assessment.
Here are some other circumstances that show you should make an appointment for a hearing exam:
- You take specific medications that can damage your hearing
- It’s hard to determine the source of sounds
- Your ear is still plugged after an infection
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- You have a buildup of ear wax you’re body can’t clear by itself
This checklist, obviously, isn’t thorough. There are other instances of red flags (if, for instance, the volume on your TV is maxed out and you still wish it could go just a little louder). It would be a good plan to follow up on any of these symptoms.
Regular examinations
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any symptoms of hearing loss. So how often should you get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything else, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, actually, some suggestions.
- Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21. That way, you’ll have a standard of your mature hearing.
- Every three years or so will be a practical schedule if your hearing appears healthy. But be sure you mark these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these huge periods of time.
- You’ll want to get checked right away if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once every year.
It will be easier to uncover any hearing loss before any warning signs become apparent with regular examinations. You will have a better chance of maintaining your hearing over time the sooner you get tested. Which means, you should probably turn your TV down and schedule a hearing assessment.