Hearing loss often starts out with slight, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to miss. Typically, it is loved ones who are the first to notice and bring attention to a person’s hearing problem. While children are regularly tested, many adults do not think about scheduling a hearing test like they would for their vision.
Clues You Might Need a Hearing Exam
There are lots of everyday instances where you may not be hearing everything and definitely not hearing what others do.
- Are you frequently asking people to repeat what they said?
- Are you finding yourself cranking up the volume on your TV?
- Is it difficult to hear everybody at a noisy restaurant?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life causing disputes?
Such incidents can occur frequently and have a lasting impact on interpersonal relationships.
Important Advantages of Scheduling Routine Hearing Assessments
According to the standards provided 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. Genetic makeup
If your family members are experiencing hearing troubles, it is a good plan to book a hearing evaluation with a professional specializing in hearing health.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Current Hearing Level
Once you know your hearing capacity in each ear, you become aware of any issues.
You may be missing certain sounds or experiencing slight hearing problems that could indicate the need for additional evaluations or interventions.
3. Helps Gauge Future Changes
Each new test will compare new data with previous assessments. Some changes occur gradually, and the tests will identify any changes even if you don’t.
4. Assists in Recognizing and Managing Issues at an Early Stage
New tests monitor changes and how rapidly they are happening, which can help diagnose and manage issues early, including an accumulation of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Identify Health Problems
In some scenarios, hearing loss can be a sign of a more significant root health issue, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, all of which have been linked to hearing problems and tinnitus. Managing the root medical conditions that are causing it could possibly alleviate hearing loss.
6. Prevent Further Damage
If a patient does not receive treatment, they might experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, leading to enhanced isolation and worsening of their depression. Elderly individuals experiencing hearing troubles might be at a higher danger of sustaining injuries due to their inability to hear alert signals such as car horns, smoke alarms, and other warning sounds. Moreover, untreated hearing loss is associated with dementia and falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
Perhaps you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the knowledge that hearing aids will enhance not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
After getting the right hearing aids to address your hearing loss, you will experience improved hearing ability in conversations, work meetings, and while enjoying the sounds of your child’s laughter or a family member’s voice.
Get in touch with us if you want to schedule a hearing test or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.