When is it time to have your hearing checked? You need a hearing exam if you have any of these four signs.
I guess my TV is frequently cranked up to the point where my kids recently complained. Do you know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was funny. Because it was a joke. But, in reality, it was anything but funny. I have needed to turn the TV up increasingly louder as of late. 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 on the back-burner.
Considering how much neglected hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more diligent about making sure your hearing impairment hasn’t gotten worse.
Hearing exams are important for a wide variety of reasons. Even slight hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s almost impossible to detect early hearing loss without a hearing assessment.
So how will you know if you should make an appointment? Here are some indications that it’s time.
You should get your hearing tested if you experience these signs
If you’ve recently experienced any of the symptoms of hearing loss, it’s definitely a smart plan 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 loss that are far less apparent:
- You have a hard time hearing when you’re in a loud setting: Have you ever had a difficult time keeping up with conversations because of background noise in a crowded room? That could actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of healthy hearing; this ability tends to diminish 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 continuously missing calls or text messages, it might be because you can’t hear them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: Often, it’s clarity not volume you need to be concerned about. Trouble making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your hearing. It may be time for a hearing test if you notice this happening more and more frequently.
- Ringing that won’t subside: Ringing in your ears, which goes by the name of tinnitus, is typically a sign of hearing damage. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t go away, it may or may not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t go away, you should absolutely come see us for a hearing test.
This list is not exhaustive, here are a few more:
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- You regularly use specific medications that are recognized to have an impact on your hearing.
- You have a buildup of ear wax you’re body can’t clear on your own
- You have an ear infection and it won’t go away
- You can’t readily determine where particular sounds are coming from
This list, obviously, is not thorough. 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 idea to look into any of these symptoms.
Regular checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any signs of hearing loss. Is there a guideline for how often you should go get your hearing checked? There’s a guideline for everything, right, so there’s got to be a guideline for this. Well, yes, there are suggestions.
- Get a baseline exam done sometime after you’re 21. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- If your hearing is healthy, undergo hearing screenings or tests every three years or so. That can be a long time to pay attention to, so make certain they’re noted in your medical records somewhere.
- If you notice signs of hearing loss, you will want to get it checked immediately, and then annually 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 in the long run. Which means, you should probably turn your TV down and make an appointment for a hearing test.