Hearing loss frequently starts out with slight, almost unperceivable changes that can be easy to miss. In fact, it is usually family and friends who alert somebody to their hearing issue. Although children are regularly tested, many adults do not consider scheduling a hearing exam like they would for their vision.
Indications That You May Require a Hearing Assessment
There are a lot of everyday situations where you may not be hearing everything and certainly not hearing what others do.
- Are you frequently asking people to repeat themselves?
- Are you finding yourself turning up the volume on your TV?
- Is it difficult to understand everybody at a noisy restaurant?
- Are there misunderstandings at work or at home causing disagreements?
Such episodes can occur frequently and have a lasting impact on interpersonal relationships.
Important Advantages of Scheduling Routine Hearing Exams
According to the standards provided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, adults are recommended 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 assessment every 3 years.
1. Genetic makeup
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is a very good reason to set up a hearing exam with a hearing specialist.
2. Set Your Baseline Hearing
By understanding your hearing ability in each ear, you can determine potential issues or areas for improvement.
You may be missing certain sounds or experiencing slight hearing problems that could signal the need for further assessments or interventions.
3. Helps Measure Future Changes
Every fresh test will analyze recent data alongside previous tests. Certain adjustments occur progressively, and the tests will identify any alterations that might not be noticeable to you.
4. Assists in Identifying and Addressing Problems at an Early Stage
Advanced diagnostic tools now keep track of changes and their rate of advancement, allowing 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 intrinsic medical condition like diabetes and high blood pressure (linked to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Managing the underlying medical conditions that are causing it could possibly reduce hearing loss.
6. Prevent Further Damage
When a patient is without treatment, they can become despondent and fear social settings, inviting seclusion and further depression. Elderly individuals experiencing hearing difficulties might be at a higher danger of sustaining injuries as a result of their inability to hear alert signals including car horns, smoke alarms, and other warning sounds. Moreover, untreated hearing loss is linked to dementia and falls.
Getting the Answers You Need
Maybe you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the understanding that hearing aids will improve not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.
Once your hearing loss is treated with the suitable hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear more efficiently during conversations or work meetings, or simply listen to 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.
