When should you have your hearing tested? You need a hearing test if you have any of these four signs.
The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you know what my response was? I said, “What”? It was funny. Because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And that got me thinking that perhaps it’s time for a hearing test.
There aren’t really that many excuses not to make an appointment for a hearing test. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, you don’t need to worry about discomfort. It’s really just that you haven’t made time for it.
You should really be more vigilant about keeping track of your hearing because, if left unchecked, it can affect your general health.
Hearing evaluations are important for many reasons. Even mild hearing loss can have an affect on your health and it’s virtually impossible to identify early hearing loss without a hearing examination.
So when should you get a hearing test? Here are some clues that it’s time.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
It’s time to get a professional hearing assessment if you’ve been noticing signs of hearing loss recently. Clearly, it’s a strong indication of hearing loss if you’re having a difficult time hearing.
But some of the other signs of hearing loss are more subtle:
- You always miss alerts for text messages: Your cellphone (or mobile device, as they’re called now) is designed to be loud. So if you’re frequently missing calls or text messages, it may be because you aren’t hearing them. And maybe, when you think about it, you’re failing to hear more common sounds.
- It seems as if people are mumbling when they talk: Sometimes, it’s clarity not volume you have to worry about. One of the first indications of hearing loss is difficulty following conversations. If you detect this happening more often, you may want to schedule a hearing exam.
- You have a tough time hearing when you’re in a loud setting: Have you ever had a difficult time keeping up with conversations because of background noise in a crowded room? If this seems familiar you could be developing hearing loss. As your hearing progresses from healthy to impaired, one of the first warning signs is the loss of the ability to identify distinct sounds.
- Ringing that won’t clear itself up: A common sign of damaged hearing is a ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus. If you’re experiencing some ringing that won’t go away, it might or might not be a sign of hearing loss. But it’s certainly a sign that you should get a hearing exam.
Here are several other situations that show you should make an appointment for a hearing evaluation:
- You can’t readily determine where specific sounds are coming from
- Your ear hasn’t cleared after an infection
- You have a buildup of ear wax you’re body can’t clear by itself
- You regularly use certain medications that are known to have an effect on your hearing.
- You’re experiencing episodes of vertigo
This list is in no way exhaustive. For instance, if your TV’s volume is at max and you still can’t hear it. But any one of these signs is worth following up on.
Regular checkups
But what if, to your knowledge, you haven’t encountered any of these potential symptoms of hearing impairment? So how often should you get your hearing checked? With all of the other guidelines for everything else, this one seems like a no-brainer. There are, actually, some recommendations.
- Sometime after you turn 21, you should have a hearing assessment. Then your mature hearing will have a standard.
- If your hearing is normal, undergo hearing examinations or tests every three years or so. But make sure you note these appointments in your calendar or medical records because it’s easy to forget over these long periods of time.
- If you notice signs of hearing loss, you will want to have it tested right away, and then annually after that.
Regular examinations can help you identify hearing loss before any warning signs appear. You will have a better chance of protecting your hearing over time the sooner you get examined. Which means, you should probably turn down your TV and make an appointment for a hearing assessment.
