Should I Get a Hearing Test?

When should you get a hearing assessment? Here are several signs you should get your hearing checked.

Recently, my kids complained about how loud my television was. Do you want to know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was meant to be humorous. But it also wasn’t. The television has been getting louder and louder. And I began to wonder: Should I get a hearing test?

There’s no good reason to avoid scheduling a hearing test. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, and you don’t have to feel uneasy about discomfort. You just need to take a brief minute to book an appointment.

Considering how much neglected hearing loss can affect your health, it’s important to be more cautious about it.

Signs you should get a hearing exam

If you’ve noticed any recent changes that may be a sign of hearing loss, booking a comprehensive hearing evaluation with a professional is likely a smart decision. If it’s hard to hear, it most likely means there’s substantial hearing impairment.

• Ambient noise can be overpowering: Have you ever struggled to hear a conversation in a noisy or crowded space, where the surrounding racket makes it hard to hear every word? It’s possible that this could be an indication of a loss of hearing.
• People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The problem might not always be volume but rather definition.
• You’re always overlooking text messages: Your phone is designed to be loud. So, if you’re always missing calls or text messages, it could be because you’re noy hearing them.
• Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also known as tinnitus, is typically an indication of hearing damage.

Other signs you should make an appointment for a hearing test:

• Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
• You have an accumulation of earwax you can’t get rid of on your own
• You take specific medications that can damage your hearing
• Determining where sounds are coming 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 often you should get your hearing checked?

• Get a baseline test done sometime after you turn 21.
• For individuals with normal hearing, it’s recommended to have a hearing evaluation every three years.
• If you display symptoms of hearing impairment, have it evaluated immediately and then every year afterwards.

Regular assessments can help you identify hearing loss before any warnings appear. The earlier you get treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing in the long run. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.