Should I Get a Hearing Test?

At what point should you consider getting your hearing assessed? Here are a few signs you should get your hearing assessed.

Recently, my children expressed discontent with the loud volume of the TV. Do you want to know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was amusing because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The volume of the TV has been escalating. And I began to wonder: Should I get a hearing test?

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

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

Indications you should get a hearing test

If you’ve recently experienced any symptoms of hearing loss, it’s probably a good idea to get a professional hearing screening. Obviously, if things are hard to hear, that’s a rather solid indication of hearing loss.

• It’s hard to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy room and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? It’s possible that this might be an indication of impaired hearing.
• People always seem to be speaking unclearly: The issue may not always be volume but rather clarity.
• 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 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 evaluation:

• Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
• Surplus earwax has amassed and can not be removed by self-cleaning methods
• Medications you’re taking might be harming your hearing
• Identifying where sounds are originating from can be challenging
• You have vertigo

Routine hearing evaluations

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

• Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21.
• For individuals with typical hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing test every three years.
• If you show signs of hearing loss, have it checked out immediately and then annually after that.

Regular screenings can help you identify hearing loss before any red flags appear. Prompt professional attention can significantly improve your chances of preserving healthy hearing over time. So you should lower the volume on your television and think about aranging a hearing assessment.