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 alert someone to their hearing issue. While children are regularly tested, many adults do not think about scheduling a hearing test like they would for their vision.
Indications That You Might Require a Hearing Evaluation
Throughout the day, there are many occasions when you might fail to hear certain things and especially not hear the same things as other people.
- Do you often request people to repeat what they said?
- Do you notice that you are boosting the volume on your TV?
- Does environmental noise in a loud restaurant make it harder to hear and understand conversations?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life leading to conflicts?
These type of situations can occur on a day-to-day basis and continue to impact relationships.
Specific Reasons to Have Your Hearing Tested Regularly
According to the standards 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 recommended to have a hearing assessment every 3 years.
1. Genetic makeup
If other members of your family have hearing problems, this is a very good reason to schedule a hearing exam with a hearing professional.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Current Hearing Level
Once you know your hearing capacity in each ear, you become aware of any problems. There are sounds you may not be hearing and impairments that might require further tests or treatments.
3. Helps Gauge Future Changes
Each new test will compare new data with previous tests. Some changes occur slowly, and the tests will identify any changes even if you can’t.
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, such as a buildup of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Diagnose Medical Conditions
In some cases hearing loss is a symptom of an intrinsic medical condition including diabetes and high blood pressure (connected to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Managing the root medical conditions that are causing it could possibly alleviate hearing loss.
6. Stop Further Damage
If a patient does not receive treatment, they may experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, resulting in enhanced isolation and worsening of their depression. Seniors with 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, neglected hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline and falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
You might have wondered if you’re dealing with some amount of hearing loss. You now have the information you need, 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.
After getting the correct hearing aids to manage 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 loved one’s voice.
Reach out to us to arrange a hearing evaluation or if you’re worried that you might be experiencing hearing troubles.
