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

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

Recently, my children expressed discontent with the high volume of the TV. Do you know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was funny because it was a joke. But there’s nothing comical about neglected hearing loss. The volume of the TV has been increasing. And I began to think about whether I should schedule a hearing exam.

There aren’t many good reasons not to schedule a hearing exam. They’re not invasive, there’s no radiation, and you don’t have to worry 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 probably a good idea to get a professional hearing screening. If it’s difficult to hear, it likely means there’s significant hearing impairment.

• It’s difficult to hear in noisy places: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had trouble keeping up with the conversation because of all the background noise? That could be an indication of hearing loss.
• It sounds like everyone’s mumbling all the time: Sometimes it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of definition.
• You’re always missing text messages: Your phone is made to be loud. So, if you’re always missing calls or text messages, it could be because you’re noy hearing them.
• Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, is typically an indication of hearing damage.

Other indications you should make an appointment for a hearing test:

• Your ear is still blocked following an infection
• Excess earwax has accumulated and can not be removed by self-cleaning approaches
• Medicines you’re using might be harming your hearing
• It is difficult to determine the source of sounds
• You’re experiencing balance problems

Regular checkups

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

• Get a baseline test done sometime after you’re 21.
• For people with normal hearing, it’s advised to have a hearing exam every three years.
• If you show symptoms of hearing loss, have it checked right away and then every year after that.

Regular screenings might identify hearing loss early, before any symptom are noticeable. Early expert attention can significantly improve your chances of preserving healthy hearing over time. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.