Why is having regular hearing tests essential? Well, the truth is that hearing loss can have substantial and long-term effects on your general wellness. Your quality of life will be improved, your health will be improved, and you will get proper treatment faster if you get evaluated regularly.
Who should get a hearing test?
A loss in hearing ability can create effects that can seriously hinder your health and well-being. Social isolation, for instance, can be a consequence of untreated hearing loss. Talking with family and friends can become more difficult, and people with hearing loss may be less likely to reach out to others, even during routine activities like shopping or going to work. This type of social isolation can be harmful to your mental health and, possibly somewhat surprisingly, your physical wellness.
Other health problems can come from neglected hearing loss also. For example, neglected hearing loss has been linked to many chronic conditions, including dementia and depression. Comorbidities, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease have also been linked to hearing loss.
This means that it’s generally a good idea for just about anybody to schedule a routine hearing test.
Four reasons to check your hearing
There are four significant reasons why keeping an eye on your hearing can be beneficial to your general health.
1. You can discover the baseline for your healthy hearing
It may seem ridiculous to get your hearing tested while your hearing is still healthy, right? Well, there are several good reasons to get a hearing test early. Your current level of hearing can be established by a hearing exam and that’s probably the most significant thing. This will make it much easier to detect any changes in the future. This is especially true because hearing loss tends to advance gradually, the first symptoms are not always obvious.
Before you notice any symptoms, a hearing test will help detect hearing loss in its early stages.
2. Early diagnosis and treatment is important
Hearing loss is typically a gradual condition, meaning it often gets worse over time. You’ll have a better prognosis, as a result, if you catch your hearing loss early. This is because you’re capable of treating the condition at the earliest possible time.
When you get treatment early it will mean doing things like using ear protection or potentially wearing hearing aids. Treatment can help you avoid many of the associated problems listed above, such as dementia, depression, and social isolation.
3. It’s easier to evaluate future changes
Even if you are diagnosed with hearing loss, that doesn’t mean your hearing won’t continue to get worse as you get older. Routine hearing tests can help you identify changes as you go along, and make changes to your treatment plan as necessary.
4. Additional damage can be avoided
Hearing loss that progresses gradually over time is usually caused by damage. Seeing us regularly to get your hearing assessed helps you detect that damage as early as possible, and it also gives you access to a significant resource: your hearing specialist. We can help you keep your hearing as healthy as possible by providing you with treatments, best practices, and information.
For example, we can help you identify ways to safeguard your ears from day-to-day damage or develop strategies created to help you keep sounds around you quieter.
How often should I get my hearing tested?
On the earlier side, adults should wait no longer than their early twenties to start routine hearing tests. It’s usually standard best practice to get a hearing exam every ten years thereafter unless you notice signs of hearing loss or we recommend something more often.
What should I expect my hearing test to be like? In general, they’re entirely non-invasive procedures. Typically, you simply listen for some tones in a special set of headphones.
We will be able to help you get the treatment you need, whether you need a pair of hearing aids or you simply need to protect your ears. And a hearing test can help you figure out when the best time to get your care might be.