The majority of hearing loss is slight at first, and you may not even recognize a change. Actually, it is usually friends and family who tip off somebody to their hearing issue. While hearing tests are a regular part of childhood, many adults tend to neglect this essential checkup, unlike regular eye exams that are often prioritized.
Signs You May Need a Hearing Exam
All through the day, there are many occasions when you could miss certain things and especially not hear the same things as other people.
- Do you often request people to repeat what they said?
- Are you finding yourself cranking up the volume on your TV?
- Is it harder to hear everybody at a loud restaurant?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life causing conflicts?
These kinds of situations can happen on a daily basis and continue to impact relationships.
Important Benefits of Scheduling Regular Hearing Exams
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 recommended to have a hearing assessment every 3 years.
1. Genetics
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is an excellent reason to set up a hearing test with a hearing specialist.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Present Hearing Level
By knowing your hearing ability in each ear, you can determine potential issues or areas for improvement.
You might be missing certain sounds or experiencing slight hearing difficulties that could signal the need for further assessments or interventions.
3. Tracks Progress Over Time
Each new test will compare new information with previous tests. Some changes happen slowly, and the tests will identify any changes even if you can’t.
4. Helps Diagnose and Treat Early Issues
Advanced diagnostic tools now monitor changes and their rate of progression, enabling healthcare professionals to recognize and manage issues, such as excessive earwax accumulation or noise-related hearing damage, at an early stage.
5. Detect Health Problems
Sometimes hearing loss is a symptom of an underlying medical condition like diabetes and high blood pressure (linked to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. You may be able to relieve hearing loss by managing the medical conditions causing it.
6. Stop Further Damage
When a patient is without treatment, they can become despondent and fear social settings, encouraging isolation and further depression. Seniors with hearing issues can have increased accidents when they don’t hear warning signals like car horns, smoke alarms, and other sounds that indicate danger. Furthermore, research has shown a connection between unaddressed hearing loss and an elevated risk of developing dementia and experiencing falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
Perhaps you have suspected you have a hearing loss. You now have the information you need, including the understanding that hearing aids can have a positive effect on multiple areas of your life, enhancing not only your ability to hear, but also your relationships with loved ones, colleagues, and social circle.
After receiving the correct hearing aids to manage your hearing loss, you will experience enhanced listening 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 exam or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.