When to Take a Hearing Test

As life keeps you busy and engaged it can be easy to ignore your hearing health, especially if you do not notice any symptoms of hearing loss. Because hearing loss often progresses gradually it is a condition that tends to sneak up on people. It is best to stay on top of your hearing health as many side effects of hearing loss can progress to dangerous levels before many of us seek treatment. The sooner we deal with hearing loss the better.

Age Related Hearing Loss

While hearing loss can develop at any age you approach 65 years of age you become at a much higher risk for hearing loss. One in 3 adults over the age deal with age-related hearing loss while the number rises half of people aged over 75 years old. Age related hearing loss is the natural breakdown of the inner ear as we age and is the most common form of hearing loss. However, even if you are not 65 years or older it is still important to pay attention to your hearing health.

The Importance of Annual Hearing Tests

To be safe, if you are 60 years of age or older, you should get your hearing tested annually. Many people assume hearing tests are only for people with hearing problems when this is not completely accurate. Rather than thinking of it as a test, think of it more as a screening to ensure that you are not developing a problem. Hearing tests won’t only diagnose a new hearing loss but could also help to prevent many medical conditions. A regular hearing examination can identify all sorts of potential problems. While the most common cause of hearing loss is age related, diabetes and high blood pressure have been linked to problems with hearing. Often problems with hearing can help diagnose these dangerous conditions before they have a chance to progress.

A Hearing Test can Identify Potential Problems

With regular hearing tests your audiologist can compare your hearing exams over the years to track the speed in which your hearing is declining. This can be a huge clue to our hearing specialists of the hearing risks you may be facing, such as excessive exposure to noise or an unusual amount of earwax build up. When hearing issues are ignored it can lead to a host of emotional conditions.

Years of poor communication due to declining hearing can put a strain on your relationships at home and at work. Often people who struggle with hearing also struggle to socialize and are prone to depression, anxiety, insomnia and self-isolation. If ignored, hearing loss has also been linked to cognitive strain and even dementia. When you schedule regular hearing tests you can catch these issues before they become serious problems that degrade your quality of life, self-esteem and sense of independence.

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

Regardless of your age there are certain symptoms, which can clue you in to a potential hearing loss. The earlier you can detect a hearing loss the higher chances you can avoid permanent hearing loss. If you experience any of these following signs, don’t wait for your yearly check up to find out if you have a hearing impairment.

• You find you have to ask people to repeat themselves more often than not.
• You find you struggle to hear people over the telephone.
• Certain tones or pitches go undetected. If others speak about sounds you seem not to hear this can be a sign that your hearing is failing.
• If you work in a noisy environment you are at a higher risk for noise-induced hearing loss.
• If you suffer from a ringing in the ears that seems to have no external source, this is referred to as tinnitus and can be a side effect of hearing damage

No Time Like Today

If you suspect you might have a hearing test it can never hurt to have your hearing tested. Putting off dealing with hearing can lead to a wide array of different conditions that can take away from your quality of life. Contact us today for a hearing test. We can help you find the best treatment to deal with your hearing loss and help you maintain your hearing health for years to come.