When should you get a hearing test? Here are four clues that you need to get your hearing assessed.
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 louder and louder lately. And that got me thinking that maybe it’s time for a hearing assessment.
There aren’t really that many reasons not to schedule yourself for a hearing test. Hearing tests don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there’s no radiation. You’ve probably just been putting it on the back-burner.
You should really be more diligent about staying on top of your hearing because, if left unchecked, it can affect your overall health.
Hearing exams are essential for a wide variety of reasons. It’s usually hard for you to discover the earliest indications of hearing loss without one, and even mild hearing impairment can impact your health.
So when should you have a hearing test? Here are some indications that it’s time.
You should get your hearing tested if you observe these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been experiencing signs of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a powerful indication of hearing loss if you’re having a hard time hearing.
But some of the other indications of hearing loss are more subtle:
- It’s tough to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a busy or noisy room and had difficulty hearing the conversation because of all the background noise? If this sounds familiar you could be developing hearing loss. As your hearing goes from healthy to impaired, one of the first warning signs is the loss of the ability to identify distinct sounds.
- It seems like people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s not loss of volume you need to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. Difficulty making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your hearing. If you experience this happening more often, you might want to schedule a hearing test.
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to be able to hear. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it may be because you can’t hear them. And if you can’t hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- Persistent 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 experiencing some ringing that won’t stop, it may or may not be a sign of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t clear itself up, you should absolutely come see us for a hearing test.
This list is not exhaustive, here are a few more:
- You have an ear infection and it won’t clear up
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
- Your ears aren’t clearing earwax thoroughly
- You can’t easily determine where specific sounds are originating
This list, clearly, is not thorough. For example, if your TV’s volume is maxed and you still can’t hear it. It would be a smart plan to look into any of these signs.
Routine examinations
But what if, to your knowledge, you haven’t encountered any of these possible signs of hearing impairment? Is there a guideline for how often you should schedule a hearing exam? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, actually, some recommendations.
- Get a primary test done sometime after you’re 21. That way, you’ll have a standard of your mature hearing.
- If your hearing is healthy, have 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.
- You’ll want to get tested right away if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once every year.
Regular examinations can help you detect hearing loss before any warning signs appear. The earlier you obtain treatment, the better you’ll be able to protect your hearing in the long run. So it’s time to give us a call and schedule a hearing test.