Hearing loss often begins with mild, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to miss. Actually, it is normally friends and family who alert someone to their hearing problem. Although children are routinely assessed, many adults do not think about scheduling a hearing exam like they would for their vision.
Indications That You May Require a Hearing Evaluation
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 noticing yourself turning up the volume on your TV?
- Is it difficult to understand everyone at a loud restaurant?
- Are there misunderstandings at work or at home causing disputes?
These kinds of situations can happen on a daily basis and continue to affect relationships.
Important Benefits of Scheduling Regular 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 have one every 3 years.
1. Family History
If other members of your family have hearing issues, this is a very good reason to schedule a hearing test with a hearing professional.
2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Present Hearing Level
By understanding your hearing ability in each ear, you can pinpoint potential problems 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 new test will compare new data with previous tests. Some changes happen slowly, and the tests will identify any changes even if you don’t.
4. Helps Diagnose and Treat Early Problems
New tests monitor changes and how quickly they are happening, which can help identify and manage problems early, such as an accumulation of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Detect Health Problems
Sometimes hearing loss is a symptom of an underlying medical condition including diabetes and high blood pressure (linked to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. Treating the underlying medical conditions that are causing it could possibly alleviate hearing loss.
6. Prevent Further Damage
When a patient doesn’t get treatment, they can become despondent and fear social situations, encouraging solitude and more depression. Seniors with hearing problems 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 neglected hearing loss and an increased danger 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 facets of your life, improving not only your ability to hear, but also your relationships with loved ones, colleagues, and social circle.
Once your hearing loss is managed with the suitable hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear more effectively during discussions or work meetings, or simply listen to your child’s laughter or a family member’s voice.
Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing exam or if you think you are experiencing hearing loss.