Hearing loss frequently starts out with mild, almost imperceptible changes that can be easy to miss. In fact, it is usually friends and family who tip off someone to their hearing issue. While hearing tests are a routine part of childhood, many adults tend to overlook this essential checkup, unlike routine eye exams that are frequently prioritized.

Indications That You Might Require a Hearing Evaluation

There are a lot of everyday situations where you may not be hearing everything and certainly not hearing what others do.

• Do you often request people to repeat what they said?
• Do you notice that you are increasing the volume on your TV?
• Does environmental noise in a loud restaurant make it more difficult to hear and understand conversations?
• Are miscommunications or misinterpretations in your personal or professional life causing disputes?

These kinds of situations can happen on a daily basis and continue to affect relationships.

Important Advantages of Scheduling Regular Hearing Assessments

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidelines 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. Genetics

If other members of your family have hearing problems, this is an excellent reason to schedule a hearing exam with a hearing specialist.

2. Establish a Reference Point for Your Present Hearing Level

Once you know your hearing capacity in each ear, you become aware of any issues.
There are sounds you might not be hearing and impairments that may indicate further evaluations or treatments.

3. Helps Gauge Future Changes

Every fresh test will analyze recent data together with previous tests. Certain adjustments occur slowly, and the tests will identify any alterations that may not be obvious to you.

4. Assists in Recognizing and Managing Issues at an Early Stage

Advanced diagnostic tools now keep track of fluctuations and their rate of progression, enabling healthcare professionals to recognize and address problems, like excessive earwax build-up or noise-related hearing damage, at an early stage.

5. Pinpoint Medical Conditions

In some scenarios, hearing loss can be a sign of a more serious underlying health issue, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, all of which have been connected to hearing problems and tinnitus. Treating the root medical conditions that are causing it could possibly alleviate hearing loss.

6. Decrease Additional Harm

If a patient does not receive treatment, they may experience feelings of depression and anxiety in social situations, leading to increased isolation and worsening of their depression. Elderly people experiencing hearing troubles may be at an increased risk of sustaining injuries due to their inability to hear warning signals such as car horns, smoke alarms, and other warning sounds. Additionally, research has revealed a link between unaddressed hearing loss and an increased risk of developing cognitive decline and experiencing falls.

Getting the Answers You Need

Perhaps you have suspected you have a hearing loss. Now you have answers, including the knowledge that hearing aids will improve not only your hearing but also your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.

After getting the correct hearing aids to manage 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 family member’s voice.

Contact us if you want to schedule a hearing exam or if you think you are noticing hearing loss.