When is it time to have your hearing checked? You need a hearing test if you have any of these four warning signs.
I guess my TV is frequently cranked up to the point where my kids recently complained. And guess what my reply was. I said, “What”? It was a joke. I thought it was funny. But, in some ways, it was anything but funny. I have needed to turn the TV up louder and louder lately. And I started to ask myself: should I get a hearing test?
There aren’t all that many reasons not to schedule yourself for a hearing test. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t have to worry about discomfort. You’ve probably just been putting it on the back-burner.
Considering how much untreated hearing loss can affect your health, you really should be more vigilant about making sure your hearing impairment hasn’t gotten worse.
Hearing evaluations are essential for many reasons. Even slight hearing loss can have an impact on your health and it’s almost impossible to recognize early hearing loss without a hearing test.
So how will you know if you should schedule an appointment? Here are some indications that it’s time.
Signs you should get a hearing test
If you’ve recently experienced any of the signs of hearing loss, it’s probably a smart plan to get a professional hearing screening. Naturally, if things are difficult to hear, that’s a pretty solid indication of hearing loss.
But some of the other indications of hearing loss are more subtle:
- You have a difficult time hearing when you’re in a noisy environment: Have you ever had a hard time following along with conversations because of ambient noise in a busy room? That may actually be a sign of hearing loss. Being able to identify sounds is one indication of healthy hearing; this ability tends to decline as hearing loss advances.
- It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: Sometimes, it’s not loss of volume you need to worry about, it’s a loss of distinction. One of the first indications of hearing loss is trouble following conversations. If you notice this happening more and more, you might want to schedule a hearing exam.
- You don’t always hear alerts for text messages: Mobile devices are manufactured to be loud enough for you to hear. So if you keep noticing text messages or calls that you failed to hear, it’s probably because you couldn’t hear them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re missing out on more everyday sounds.
- Ringing that won’t subside: A common sign of injured hearing is a ringing in the ears, also called 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 an indication that you should get a hearing exam.
Here are several other circumstances that indicate you should schedule a hearing screening:
- Your ears aren’t clearing earwax completely
- You frequently use certain medications that are known to have an impact on your hearing.
- Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
- You can’t easily detect where particular sounds are originating
- You experience vertigo
This list is in no way exhaustive. For example, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. It would be a good plan to look into any of these signs.
Regular checkups
But how should you cope with it when you’re not certain if you have any signs of hearing loss. Is there a guideline for how often you should go get your hearing checked? There’s a guideline for everything, right, so there’s got to be a guideline for this. Well, yes, there are recommendations.
- Get a primary assessment done sometime after you’re 21. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- Every three years or so will be a good schedule if your hearing seems healthy. That can be a long time to pay attention to, so make sure they’re marked in your medical records somewhere.
- If you show signs of hearing loss, you will want to have it checked right away, and then yearly after that.
It will be easier to discover any hearing loss before any red flags become obvious with routine screenings. You will have a better chance of preserving your hearing over time the sooner you get tested. Which means, you should probably turn down your TV and make an appointment for a hearing examination.