Should I Get a Hearing Exam?

At what point should you consider having your hearing assessed? Here are some signs you should get your hearing assessed.

Recently, my children expressed displeasure with the loud volume of the TV. My answer …” What?!” It was intended to be funny. But it also wasn’t. The volume of the TV has been increasing. And I started to ponder: Should I get a hearing exam?

There’s no good reason to avoid scheduling a hearing test. They are non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without worries about your comfort level. Just take a quick moment to book an appointment.

Thinking about how much untreated hearing loss can impact your health, it’s important to be more cautious about it.

You should have your hearing checked if you observe these signs

If you’ve recently noticed any symptoms of hearing loss, it’s most likely a good idea to get a professional hearing screening. Clearly, if things are hard to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.

• It’s hard to hear in noisy places: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the background noise? That may be a sign of hearing loss.
• People always seem to be talking unclearly: The problem might not always be volume but rather clarity.
• You’re always missing text messages: Your phone is made to be loud. So, if you’re always missing calls or text messages, it might be because you aren’t hearing them.
• Relentless ringing sound: A continuous sensation of ringing in your ears, knowned as tinnitus, is typically a sign of damage to your hearing.

Here are a few other scenarios that indicate you should arrange a hearing assessment:

• Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
• Surplus earwax has amassed and can’t be removed by self-cleaning methods
• You take certain medications that can damage your hearing
• Identifying where sounds are originating from can be difficult
• You have vertigo

Routine hearing assessments

But what if you haven’t recognized any of these signs of hearing loss? Is there a guideline for how frequently you should have your hearing tested?

• It is recommended to have a baseline test completed after reaching the age of 21.
• If your hearing is normal, undergo hearing assessments every three years.
• If you show symptoms of hearing loss, have it checked immediately and then every year after that.

Regular assessments can help you identify hearing loss before any warnings appear. The earlier you get treatment, the better you’ll be able to maintain your hearing over time. This means you should probably turn your TV down and schedule a hearing test.