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

At what point should you think about having your hearing evaluated? Here are a few indications you need to get your hearing checked.

The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. My answer …” What?!” It was intended to be humorous. But there’s nothing comical about neglected hearing loss. The TV has been getting louder and louder. And I began to wonder: Should I get a hearing test?

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 worry about discomfort. You just need to take a brief moment to schedule an appointment.

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

Signs you should get a hearing test

If you’ve noticed any recent changes that may be a sign of hearing loss, scheduling a comprehensive hearing evaluation with a professional is probably a smart decision. If it’s difficult to hear, it likely means there’s significant hearing impairment.

• It’s hard to hear in noisy places: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy room and had trouble following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? That could 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 have to be concerned about, it’s a loss of clarity.
• You regularly miss text messages: Your phone is designed to be loud. If you regularly fail to notice incoming calls or texts, the issue may be that you’re not able to hear them.
• Persistent ringing sound: A constant sensation of ringing in your ears, knowned as tinnitus, is typically an indication of damage to your hearing.

Here are some other situations that suggest you should arrange a hearing screening:

• Your ear is still blocked following an infection
• Excess earwax has amassed and can’t be removed by self-cleaning approaches
• You take specific medications that can harm your hearing
• It is difficult to identify the source of sounds
• You have vertigo

Regular checkups

Even if you aren’t experiencing any obvious symptoms, it’s still important to schedule regular hearing tests.

• It is encouraged to have a baseline test completed after reaching the age of 21.
• If your hearing is normal, get hearing assessments every three years.
• If you show signs of hearing loss, get it checked out immediately and then yearly after that.

Regular assessments can help you identify hearing loss before any warnings appear. The sooner you seek treatment, the better you’ll be able to preserve your hearing over time. This means you should probably turn your TV down and set up a hearing test.