Why is it worthwhile to get your hearing tested regularly? Well, the reality is that hearing loss can have substantial and long-term impacts on your overall wellness. Your quality of life will be improved, your health will be enhanced, and you will get the right treatment sooner if you get screened regularly.
Getting a hearing test – who should do it?
A loss in hearing capability can generate effects that can seriously impede your health and wellness. Social isolation, for instance, can be a consequence of untreated hearing loss. Talking with family and friends can become more challenging, and people with hearing loss might be less likely to reach out to others, even during normal activities like grocery shopping or going to work. This kind of social isolation can be detrimental to your mental health and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, your physical well-being.
Hearing loss can cause other issues as well. Numerous chronic conditions, including depression and cognitive decline, have been associated with neglected hearing loss. It’s also been associated with a number of comorbidities, including diabetes, heart issues, and high blood pressure.
As a result, it’s generally a good idea for just about anyone to schedule a routine hearing test.
Four reasons to check your hearing
There are four significant reasons why checking your hearing can be beneficial to your general health.
1. You can determine the baseline for your healthy hearing
Why would you want to get your hearing tested if it seems healthy? Well, getting a hearing exam early is a good idea for a number of reasons. Your present level of hearing can be established by a hearing test and that’s probably the most important thing. If your hearing changes in the future, this will make it easier to identify. This is especially true because hearing loss tends to advance slowly, the first symptoms are not always apparent.
Getting a baseline hearing exam will help identify issues well before you notice them.
2. Diagnose and treat problems earlier
Hearing loss normally progresses gradually over time. You’ll have a better prognosis, as a result, if you catch your hearing loss early. If you treat the condition as early as possible, you will have more positive outcomes.
Early treatment could include anything from taking measures to protect your hearing like wearing ear protection in noisy spaces to the use of hearing aids. Treatment can help you avoid many of the related issues listed above, such as dementia, depression, and social isolation.
3. Future changes will be easier to evaluate
Even if you are diagnosed with hearing loss, that doesn’t mean your hearing your hearing won’t continue to get worse as you get older. Regular hearing assessments can enable early detection and your treatment plan can be adjusted as needed.
4. Additional damage can be prevented
Hearing loss that progresses slowly over time is usually caused by damage. Seeing us regularly to get your hearing checked helps you identify that damage as early as possible, and it also gives you access to a substantial resource: your hearing specialist. We can help you keep your ears as healthy as possible by providing you with treatments, best practices, and information.
We can help you figure out ways to keep sounds around you quieter and also help you safeguard your ears from day-to-day damage.
How frequently should I get my hearing tested?
Generally speaking, it’s recommended that adults undergo a hearing exam sometime in their 20s or 30s, on the earlier side. Unless we recommend more frequent visits or if you notice any hearing problems, at least every ten years will be the advised interval for hearing tests.
But perhaps you’re thinking: what should I expect at my hearing test? Hearing tests are generally totally non-invasive. Often, all you do is wear special headphones and listen for a specific sound.
Whether you require some hearing protection or a new set of hearing aids, we will be able to help you with the best hearing care. And we can help you determine what your hearing test schedule should be.