When should you get a hearing test? Here are four signs that you should have your hearing assessed.
I guess my TV is regularly cranked up to the point where my kids recently complained. And guess what I said. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. 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.
It really doesn’t make much sense to neglect getting a hearing assessment. They aren’t invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t need to worry about discomfort. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
Considering how much neglected hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more vigilant about making sure your hearing impairment hasn’t gotten worse.
There are a lot of good reasons why hearing evaluations are essential. It’s often hard for you to observe the earliest signs of hearing loss without one, and even slight hearing impairment can impact your health.
So how will you know if you should schedule an appointment? Here are some signs that it’s time.
You should have your hearing tested if you notice these signs
It’s time to get a professional hearing assessment if you’ve been noticing signs of hearing loss recently. Obviously, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a pretty strong indication of hearing loss.
But that’s not the only indicator, and there are some signs of hearing impairment that are much less obvious:
- Ringing that won’t clear itself up: A common sign of injured hearing is a ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus. If you’re dealing with some ringing that won’t stop, it might or might not be a symptom of hearing loss. But it’s certainly a sign that you should schedule a hearing assessment.
- It’s tough to hear in noisy locations: Have you ever been to a busy or noisy space and had difficulty hearing the conversation because of all the ambient noise? If this sounds familiar you could be developing hearing loss. As your hearing progresses from healthy to impaired, one of the first signs is the loss of the ability to identify distinct sounds.
- You’re always missing text messages: Mobile devices are made to be loud enough for you to be able to hear. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it might be because you can’t hear them. And perhaps, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more common sounds.
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they speak: Often, it’s clearness not volume you have to worry about. Difficulty making out conversations is one of the first signs that something is going wrong with your hearing. If you notice this happening more often, you might want to schedule a hearing exam.
Here are a few other situations that indicate you should schedule a hearing screening:
- Your ears are not removing earwax thoroughly
- You have an ear infection and it won’t go away
- You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
- You have vertigo
- It’s difficult to determine the origin of sounds
This checklist, clearly, isn’t extensive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. It would be a good idea to look into any of these symptoms.
Routine checkups
But what if, to your awareness, you haven’t encountered any of these possible signs of hearing loss? Is there a guideline for how frequently you should schedule a hearing exam? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. Well, yes, there are suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you need to get a hearing assessment. Then your mature hearing will have a baseline.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing appears normal. But be sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these long periods of time.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, you will want to get it assessed right away, and then yearly after that.
It will be easier to identify any hearing loss before any red flags become obvious with regular screenings. The earlier you seek treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing into the future. Which means, you should probably turn your TV down and make an appointment for a hearing assessment.