Hearing loss frequently starts out with slight, almost unperceivable changes that can be easy to miss. In fact, it is normally family and friends who tip off somebody to their hearing problem. While children are regularly assessed, many adults do not think about scheduling a hearing test like they would for their vision.
Clues You May Need a Hearing Exam
Throughout the day, there are many instances when you might fail to hear certain things and especially not hear the same things as other people.
- Are you regularly asking people to repeat what they said?
- Do you notice that you are boosting the volume on your TV?
- Is it harder to understand everybody at a noisy restaurant?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life leading to conflicts?
Such episodes can occur regularly and have a lasting impact on interpersonal relationships.
Important Benefits of Scheduling Routine Hearing Assessments
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards state that adults should get a hearing assessment every 10 years up until age 50, and adults over the age of 50 should get one every 3 years.
1. Genetic makeup
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is an excellent reason to set up a hearing exam with a hearing specialist.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Current Hearing Level
By understanding your hearing ability in each ear, you can identify potential issues or areas for improvement.
You may be missing certain sounds or experiencing slight hearing problems that could indicate the need for further evaluations or interventions.
3. Tracks Progress Over Time
Every fresh test will analyze recent data alongside previous tests. Certain adjustments take place progressively, and the tests will identify any alterations that may not be noticeable to you.
4. Helps in Recognizing and Managing Issues at an Early Stage
New tests monitor changes and how rapidly they are occurring, which can help identify and manage issues early, including a buildup of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Detect Health Problems
In some instances, hearing loss can be an indicator of a more significant underlying health problem, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, all of which have been linked to hearing issues and tinnitus. You may be able to alleviate hearing loss by treating the medical conditions causing it.
6. Minimize Additional Harm
When a patient doesn’t get treatment, they can become depressed and fear social settings, encouraging solitude and further depression. Elderly people experiencing hearing difficulties might be at an increased danger of experiencing injuries due to their inability to hear alert signals including car horns, smoke alarms, and other warning sounds. Furthermore, research has revealed a link between unaddressed hearing loss and an elevated danger of developing dementia and experiencing falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
Maybe you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the understanding that hearing aids will enhance not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
After receiving the correct hearing aids to address 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 loved one’s voice.
Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing test or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.