Hearing loss frequently starts out with slight, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to miss. In fact, it is normally family and friends who tip off somebody to their hearing problem. While hearing exams are a routine part of childhood, many adults tend to disregard this essential checkup, unlike regular eye exams that are frequently prioritized.
Signs You May Need a Hearing Exam
There are lots of daily instances where you might not be hearing everything and definitely not hearing what others do.
- Do you often request people to repeat what they said?
- Are you finding yourself cranking up the volume on your TV?
- Is it difficult to understand everybody at a noisy restaurant?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life leading to conflicts?
These kinds of scenarios can happen on a day-to-day basis and continue to impact relationships.
Specific Reasons Why You Should Have Your Hearing Assessed Regularly
According to the guidelines supplied by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, adults are advised to have a hearing assessment every 10 years before reaching the age of 50. For adults aged 50 and above, it is advised to have a hearing screening every 3 years.
1. Genetics
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is an excellent reason to schedule a hearing exam with a hearing specialist.
2. Set Your Baseline Hearing
By understanding your hearing ability in each ear, you can identify potential problems or areas for improvement.
There are sounds you may not be hearing and impairments that may indicate further evaluations or treatments.
3. Monitors Progress Over Time
Every fresh test will evaluate recent data together with previous tests. Certain changes take place progressively, and the tests will identify any changes that might not be obvious to you.
4. Helps Diagnose and Treat Early Problems
New tests track changes and how rapidly they are happening, which can help diagnose and manage problems early, including an accumulation of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Diagnose Medical Conditions
In some instances, hearing loss can be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, all of which have been linked to hearing issues and tinnitus. You might be able to relieve hearing loss by managing the medical conditions causing it.
6. Prevent Further Damage
If a patient does not receive treatment, they may experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, leading to increased seclusion and worsening of their depression. Seniors who have hearing issues 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.
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 facets 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 suitable 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 family member’s voice.
Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing test or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.