When should you schedule a hearing exam? Here are a few signs that reveal you should get your hearing checked.
Recently, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. My answer …” What?!” It was amusing because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The volume of the TV has been escalating. And I started to question whether I should schedule a hearing assessment.
There aren’t many good reasons not to schedule a hearing test. They’re non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without worries about your level of comfort. Simply take a quick moment to book an appointment.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, it’s important to be more vigilant about it.
You should have your hearing checked if you observe these signs
If you’ve detected any recent changes that might be a sign of hearing loss, booking a comprehensive hearing examination with a professional is probably a wise decision. Obviously, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a fairly solid indication of hearing loss.
- It’s hard to hear in noisy locations: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the background noise? It’s possible that this could be an indication of a loss of hearing.
- It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: Sometimes it’s not loss of volume you have to be concerned about, it’s a loss of definition.
- You regularly overlook text messages: Your phone is designed to be attention-grabbing. If you regularly fail to observe 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 a sign of hearing damage.
Other indications you should make an appointment for a hearing test:
- Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
- You have a buildup of earwax you can’t remove by yourself
- Medicines you’re using might be damaging your hearing
- It is difficult to identify the source of sounds
- You’re experiencing balance problems
Routine hearing evaluations
But what if you haven’t noticed any of these indications of hearing loss? Is there a criteria for how frequently you should get your hearing tested?
- Get a baseline test done at some point after you’re 21.
- For individuals with typical hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing exam every three years.
- If you demonstrate signs of hearing loss, get it checked out right away and then annually after that.
Routine assessments can help you detect hearing loss before any red flags appear. Early expert attention can significantly increase your chances of maintaining healthy hearing over time. So you should decrease the volume on your television and consider setting up a hearing assessment.
