At what point should you consider having your hearing evaluated? Here are some signs you need to have your hearing checked.
Recently, my children expressed displeasure with the high volume of the TV. Do you know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was funny because it was a joke. But there’s nothing funny about untreated hearing loss. The volume of the TV has been increasing. And I started to ponder: Should I get a hearing exam?
There aren’t many good reasons not to set up a hearing exam. They aren’t invasive, there’s no radiation, and you don’t have to worry about discomfort. You just need to take a brief moment to schedule an appointment.
Given the considerable effect that unaddressed hearing loss can have on your general well-being, it’s important to be proactive about monitoring your hearing.
You should get your hearing tested if you observe these signs
If you’ve recently experienced any symptoms of hearing loss, it’s most likely a good plan to get a professional hearing screening. Clearly, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a rather solid indication of hearing loss.
- It’s hard to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy room and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That may be an indication of hearing loss.
- People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The problem might not always be volume but rather definition.
- You often overlook text messages: Your phone is intended to be attention-grabbing. If you routinely fail to notice incoming calls or texts, the issue may be that you’re not able to hear them.
- Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, is often an indication of hearing damage.
Other signs you should make an appointment for a hearing test:
- Your ear is still clogged following an infection
- You have an accumulation of earwax you can’t remove on your own
- You take certain medications that can damage your hearing
- Distinguishing where sounds are originating from can be difficult
- You’re experiencing balance issues
Regular checkups
But what if you haven’t recognized any of these indications of hearing loss? Is there a guideline for how frequently you should have your hearing checked?
- Get a baseline test done at some point after you turn 21.
- For people with normal hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing assessment every three years.
- If you demonstrate signs of hearing loss, get it checked out immediately and then yearly after that.
Regular screenings may detect hearing loss early, before any symptom are noticeable. 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.
