Most hearing loss is slight initially, and you may not even notice a change. In fact, it is usually family and friends who tip off somebody to their hearing issue. While hearing exams are a routine part of childhood, many adults tend to overlook this important checkup, unlike routine eye exams that are often prioritized.
Indications That You Might Require a Hearing Evaluation
All through the day, there are many instances when you might fail to hear 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 cranking up the volume on your TV?
- Does environmental noise in a loud restaurant make it more difficult to hear and understand conversations?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life leading to conflicts?
These kinds of situations can occur on a daily basis and continue to affect relationships.
Specific Reasons Why You Should Have Your Hearing Checked On A Regular Basis
According to the standards supplied by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, adults are advised to have a hearing screening every 10 years before reaching the age of 50. For adults aged 50 and above, it is advised to have a hearing assessment every 3 years.
1. Family History
If your family members are experiencing hearing difficulties, it is a good idea to schedule a hearing evaluation with an expert specializing in hearing health.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Present Hearing Level
By understanding your hearing ability in each ear, you can determine potential problems or areas for improvement.
You may be missing certain sounds or experiencing slight hearing difficulties that could signal the need for additional assessments or interventions.
3. Helps Gauge Future Changes
Every fresh test will analyze recent data alongside previous tests. Certain changes occur progressively, and the tests will identify any alterations that may not be noticeable to you.
4. Helps in Recognizing and Managing Issues at an Early Stage
New tests track changes and how rapidly they are happening, which can help identify and manage problems early, including a buildup of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Pinpoint Medical Conditions
In some cases hearing loss is a symptom of an underlying medical condition like diabetes and high blood pressure (connected to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. You may be able to relieve hearing loss by treating the medical conditions causing it.
6. Decrease Additional Harm
When a patient is without treatment, they can become despondent and fear social situations, encouraging seclusion and more 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 mean danger. Moreover, untreated hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline and falls.
Getting the Answers You Need
Maybe you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the understanding that hearing aids will enhance not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.
Once your hearing loss is treated with the appropriate hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear more efficiently during discussions or work meetings, or simply listen to your child’s laughter or a loved one’s voice.
Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing test or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.