Most hearing loss is subtle at first, and you may not even recognize a change. In fact, it is usually friends and family who tip off someone to their hearing issue. While hearing exams are a regular part of childhood, many adults tend to overlook this important checkup, unlike routine eye exams that are often prioritized.
Clues You Might Need a Hearing Test
All through the day, there are many occasions when you might miss certain things and especially not hear the same things as other people.
- Are you frequently asking people to repeat what they said?
- Are you finding yourself turning up the volume on your TV?
- Is it harder to hear everybody at a noisy restaurant?
- Are there misunderstandings at work or at home leading to disputes?
These type of scenarios can occur on a day-to-day basis and continue to impact relationships.
Important Advantages of Scheduling Regular Hearing Exams
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards state that adults should get a hearing assessment every 10 years up until age 50, and adults over the age of 50 should get one every 3 years.
1. Genetic makeup
If your family members are experiencing hearing troubles, it is a good idea to schedule a hearing evaluation with an expert specializing in hearing health.
2. Set Your Baseline Hearing
By knowing your hearing ability in each ear, you can pinpoint potential issues or areas for improvement.
You may be missing certain sounds or experiencing subtle hearing difficulties that could indicate the need for additional assessments or interventions.
3. Helps Measure Future Changes
Each new test will compare new information with previous tests. Some changes happen gradually, and the tests will identify any changes even if you don’t.
4. Assists in Identifying and Addressing Issues at an Early Stage
New tests track changes and how rapidly they are occurring, which can help diagnose and manage issues early, including an accumulation of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Pinpoint Medical Conditions
In some cases, hearing loss can be a sign of a more significant root health issue, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, all of which have been linked to hearing issues and tinnitus. Managing the root medical conditions that are causing it could potentially alleviate hearing loss.
6. Decrease Additional Harm
If a patient does not get treatment, they may experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, leading to enhanced isolation and worsening of their depression. Seniors who have hearing problems can have increased injuries when they don’t hear warning signals like car horns, smoke alarms, and other sounds that indicate danger. In addition, neglected hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline and falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
Perhaps you have suspected you have a hearing loss. You now have the information you require, including the awareness that hearing aids can have a positive impact on multiple areas of your life, enhancing not only your ability to hear, but also your connections with loved ones, colleagues, and social circle.
Once your hearing loss is treated with the appropriate hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear more effectively during discussions or work meetings, or simply listen to your child’s laughter or a family member’s voice.
Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing exam or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.