When is it time to have your hearing checked? You need a hearing exam if you have any of these four warning signs.
Recently, my kids complained about how loud my television was. You know what I said to them? I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. But, in reality, it was anything but funny. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And I began to ask myself: should I have my hearing tested?
There aren’t really that many excuses not to schedule yourself for a hearing exam. Hearing assessments don’t cause you any discomfort, they’re non-invasive, and there isn’t any radiation. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
You should really be more vigilant about staying on top of your hearing because, if left untreated, it can affect your overall health.
There are lots of good reasons why hearing assessments are important. Even mild hearing loss can have an impact on your health and it’s almost impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing examination.
So when should you get your hearing tested? Here are several ways to know if you need to consult with us.
Signs you should get a hearing test
If you’ve recently experienced any of the signs of hearing loss, it’s probably a smart plan to get a professional hearing exam. Clearly, it’s a strong indication of hearing loss if you’re having a difficult time hearing.
But some of the other signs of hearing loss are more subtle:
- You’re always missing text messages: Your phone (or mobile device, as they’re called these days) is made to be loud. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it may be because you can’t hear them. And if you’re unable to hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they speak: Often, it’s clearness 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 assessment if you observe this occurring more and more frequently.
- Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, which is called tinnitus, is frequently a sign of hearing damage. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t stop, it may or may not be a symptom of hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t clear itself up, you should absolutely come see us for a hearing evaluation.
- It’s hard to hear in noisy places: 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 a sign of hearing loss. As your hearing progresses from healthy to impaired, one of the first signs is the loss of the ability to isolate distinct sounds.
This list is not exhaustive, here are a few more:
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
- Your ears are not clearing earwax completely
- Your ear is still plugged after an infection
- It’s challenging to determine the origin of sounds
- You frequently use specific medications that are known to have an impact on your hearing.
This checklist is by no means exhaustive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is maxed and you still can’t hear it. But any one of these signs is worth looking into.
Routine checkups
But how should you deal 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 else, right, so there’s got to be a guideline for this. Well, yes, there are suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should get a hearing test. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- Every three years or so will be a practical schedule if your hearing seems healthy. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these large periods of time.
- You’ll want to get tested immediately if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once a 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 preserving your hearing over time the sooner you get examined. So it’s time to pick up the phone and schedule a hearing assessment.