Hearing loss often starts out with mild, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to overlook. Often, it is loved ones who are the first to recognize and bring awareness to a person’s hearing trouble. While hearing tests are a routine part of childhood, many adults tend to disregard this essential checkup, unlike regular eye exams that are often prioritized.
Indications That You May Require a Hearing Assessment
There are a lot of daily instances where you may not be hearing everything and definitely not hearing what others are.
- Are you frequently asking people to repeat what they said?
- Do you notice that you are increasing the volume on your TV?
- Does background noise in a busy restaurant make it more difficult to hear and understand conversations?
- Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life causing disputes?
Such incidents can take place regularly and have a lasting impact on interpersonal relationships.
Important Benefits of Scheduling Regular Hearing Assessments
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 recommended to have a hearing assessment every 3 years.
1. Genetics
If your family members are dealing with hearing difficulties, it is a good idea to book a hearing evaluation with an expert specializing in hearing health.
2. Set Your Baseline Hearing
Once you are aware of your hearing capacity in each ear, you become aware of any problems.
There are sounds you might not be hearing and impairments that may indicate further evaluations or treatments.
3. Monitors Progress Over Time
Every new test will evaluate recent data alongside previous tests. Certain changes take place slowly, and the tests will identify any alterations that may not be obvious to you.
4. Helps Diagnose and Treat Early Issues
New tests monitor changes and how rapidly they are happening, which can help identify and treat problems early, including an accumulation of earwax or noise-induced hearing loss.
5. Diagnose Medical Conditions
In some cases hearing loss is a symptom of an intrinsic medical condition like diabetes and high blood pressure (connected to hearing loss and tinnitus), plus cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. You may be able to alleviate hearing loss by treating the medical conditions causing it.
6. Prevent Further Damage
When a patient doesn’t get treatment, they can become depressed and fear social situations, encouraging isolation and further depression. Elderly people experiencing hearing difficulties may be at an increased danger of sustaining injuries as a result of their inability to hear alert signals including car horns, smoke alarms, and other warning sounds. Furthermore, research has shown a link between neglected hearing loss and an elevated danger of developing dementia and experiencing falls.
Finding the Information You’re Looking For
Perhaps 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 colleagues.
Once your hearing loss is managed 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.
Get in touch with us if you want to schedule a hearing test or if you think you are experiencing hearing loss.