When is it time to get a hearing exam? You need a hearing exam if you have any of these four signs.
I guess my TV is frequently turned up to the point where my kids recently complained. You know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting progressively louder. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing test.
There aren’t all that many reasons not to schedule yourself for a hearing exam. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t have to worry about discomfort. You’ve most likely just been putting it off.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can impact your health, you really should be more vigilant about making sure your hearing loss hasn’t gotten worse.
There are a lot of good reasons why hearing assessments are essential. It’s often challenging for you to discover the earliest indications of hearing loss without one, and even mild hearing impairment can impact your health.
So how will you know if you should schedule an appointment? Here are several ways to tell if you need to consult with us.
Signs you should get a hearing test
It’s time to get a professional hearing test if you’ve been experiencing symptoms of hearing loss recently. Obviously, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.
But that’s not the only indicator, and there are some signs of hearing loss that are much less obvious:
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: In some cases, it’s not loss of volume you have to be concerned with, it’s a loss of distinction. One of the first indications of hearing loss is difficulty making out conversations. If you detect this happening more and more, you might want to schedule a hearing test.
- It’s hard to hear in noisy locations: Have you ever had a hard time keeping up with conversations because of ambient noise in a crowded room? If this sounds familiar you could be experiencing hearing loss. Being able to isolate sounds is one indication of healthy hearing; this ability tends to wane as hearing loss worsens.
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Your cellphone (or mobile device, as they’re called these days) is designed to be loud. So if you keep noticing text messages or calls that you missed, it’s most likely because you didn’t hear them. And if you’re unable to hear your mobile device, what else are you missing?
- Persistent ringing in your ears: A typical sign of injured hearing is a ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus. Ringing in the ear may or may not point to hearing loss. But if the ringing won’t go away, you should absolutely come see us for a hearing test.
This list isn’t thorough, here are a few more:
- You can’t easily detect where particular sounds are coming from
- You frequently use specific medications that are known to have an impact on your hearing.
- You have an ear infection and it won’t go away
- Your ears are not clearing earwax thoroughly
- You have vertigo
This list, obviously, isn’t complete. There are other examples of warning signs (if, for instance, the volume on your TV is maxed out and you still wish it could go just a little bit louder). But any one of these signs is worth looking into.
Regular checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any signs of hearing loss. So how often should you have your hearing tested? With all of the other guidelines for everything, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, in fact, some suggestions.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should get a hearing test. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing appears normal. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these huge periods of time.
- You’ll want to get tested right away if you notice any signs of hearing loss and after that once a year.
Routine examinations can help you identify hearing loss before any red flags appear. The earlier you obtain treatment, the better you’ll be able to protect your hearing into the future. So it’s time to pick up the phone and schedule a hearing test.