How to Know When It’s Time for a Hearing Exam

When should you schedule a hearing assessment? Here are a few indications that suggest you should get your hearing checked.

The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you want to know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was funny because it was a joke. But it also wasn’t. The volume of the TV has been increasing. And I began to question whether I should schedule a hearing assessment.

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. Just take a quick moment to book an appointment.

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

Signs you should get a hearing exam

If you’ve recently noticed any signs of hearing loss, it’s most likely a good idea to get a professional hearing screening. Clearly, if things are hard to hear, that’s a rather solid indication of hearing loss.

• It’s difficult to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That might be an indication of hearing loss.
• It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: In some cases it’s not loss of volume you need to be concerned about, it’s a loss of definition.
• You regularly overlook text messages: Your phone is intended to be loud. If you routinely fail to notice incoming calls or texts, the issue may be that you’re not able to hear 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 some other scenarios that indicate you should arrange a hearing assessment:

• Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
• Excess earwax has accumulated and can’t be removed by self-cleaning methods
• Medications you’re using may be harming your hearing
• Identifying where sounds are coming from can be difficult
• You’re experiencing balance problems

Routine hearing assessments

Even if you aren’t observing any noticeable symptoms, it’s still important to schedule regular hearing exams.

• Get a baseline test done at some point after you’re 21.
• For people with normal hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing exam every three years.
• If you display signs of hearing impairment, have it assessed immediately and then every year afterwards.

Routine assessments can help you identify hearing loss before any red flags appear. Early expert attention can significantly increase your chances of preserving healthy hearing over time. So you should decrease the volume on your television and think about aranging a hearing test.