Should I Get a Hearing Exam?

At what point should you think about getting your hearing assessed? Here are a few signs that suggest you should get your hearing checked.

Recently, my children expressed discontent with the high volume of the TV. Do you know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was intended to be funny. But there’s nothing comical about untreated hearing loss. The television has been getting louder and louder. And I started to think about whether I should schedule a hearing exam.

There aren’t many reasons not to schedule a hearing exam. They aren’t invasive, there’s no radiation, and you don’t have to feel uneasy about discomfort. You just need to take a brief moment to schedule an appointment.

Given the considerable effect that neglected hearing loss can have on your overall well-being, it’s vital to be proactive about keeping an eye on your hearing.

Signs you should get a hearing test

If you’ve noticed any recent changes that might be indicative of hearing loss, scheduling a comprehensive hearing examination with a professional is probably a smart decision. Obviously, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a fairly solid indication of hearing loss.

• Ambient noise can be overpowering: Have you ever strained to focus on a conversation in a noisy or crowded space, where the surrounding din makes it difficult to hear every word? It’s possible that this might be an indication of a loss of hearing.
• People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The problem may not always be volume but rather clarity.
• You’re always overlooking text messages: Your phone is made to be loud. So, if you’re constantly missing calls or text messages, it might be because you’re noy hearing them.
• Persistent ringing sound: A constant sensation of ringing in your ears, knowned as tinnitus, is frequently a sign of damage to your hearing.

Here are some other scenarios that suggest you should schedule a hearing assessment:

• Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
• Excess earwax has amassed and can’t be removed by self-cleaning approaches
• You take certain medications that can harm your hearing
• Determining where sounds are originating from can be challenging
• You have vertigo

Routine checkups

But what if you haven’t recognized any of these indications of hearing loss? Is there a criteria for how frequently you should get your hearing checked?

• Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21.
• If your hearing is healthy, undergo hearing screenings every three years.
• If you display symptoms of hearing impairment, have it evaluated right away and then every year thereafter.

Regular screenings might identify hearing loss early, before any symptom are noticeable. The earlier you seek treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing over time. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.