Hearing loss often begins with mild, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to miss. Actually, it is usually family and friends who tip off someone to their hearing problem. While hearing exams are a regular part of childhood, many adults tend to disregard this important checkup, unlike regular eye exams that are frequently prioritized.
Signs You May Need a Hearing Exam
There are a lot of daily instances where you may not be hearing everything and definitely not hearing what others are.
- Are you regularly asking people to repeat themselves?
- Are you noticing yourself turning up the volume on your TV?
- Does background noise in a loud restaurant make it harder to hear and comprehend conversations?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life causing disputes?
These kinds of situations can occur on a daily basis and continue to affect relationships.
Specific Reasons Why You Should Have Your Hearing Tested On A Regular Basis
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards state that adults should get a hearing screening every 10 years up until age 50, and adults over the age of 50 should have one every 3 years.
1. Family History
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is an excellent reason to schedule a hearing test with a hearing specialist.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Current Hearing Level
Once you know your hearing ability in each ear, you become aware of any issues.
You might be missing certain sounds or experiencing subtle hearing difficulties that could indicate the need for further assessments or interventions.
3. Tracks Progress Over Time
Every new test will compare new information with past tests. Some changes happen gradually, and the tests will identify any changes even if you can’t.
4. Helps Diagnose and Treat Early Issues
Innovative diagnostic tools now monitor fluctuations and their rate of progression, enabling healthcare professionals to identify and address issues, like excessive earwax build-up or noise-related hearing damage, at an early stage.
5. Identify Health Issues
Sometimes hearing loss is a symptom of an intrinsic medical condition including diabetes and high blood pressure (connected to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. You may be able to alleviate hearing loss by managing the medical conditions causing it.
6. Stop Further Damage
If a patient does not get treatment, they may experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, leading to increased isolation and worsening of their depression. Seniors who have hearing issues can have increased accidents when they don’t hear warning signals like car horns, smoke alarms, and other sounds that mean danger. Moreover, neglected hearing loss is linked to dementia and falls.
Getting the Answers You Need
Maybe you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the knowledge that hearing aids will enhance not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.
Once your hearing loss is treated with the suitable hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear more effectively during conversations or work meetings, or simply listen to your child’s laughter or a loved one’s voice.
Reach out to us to arrange a hearing evaluation or if you’re concerned that you may be experiencing hearing difficulties.
