Why is it important to get your hearing assessed on a regular basis? That’s because your general health can be significantly impacted by hearing loss. Your quality of life will be improved, your health will be enhanced, and you will get the right treatment quicker if you get evaluated regularly.
Who should get a hearing examination?
Your health and well-being can be seriously impacted by untreated hearing loss. Social isolation, for example, can be a result of neglected hearing loss. Even while doing tasks like going to the store, people who suffer from hearing loss will often avoid reaching out to family and friends because they have a difficult time understanding conversations. This type of social isolation can be harmful to your mental health and, possibly somewhat surprisingly, your physical well-being.
Hearing loss can cause other problems as well. 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 associated with hearing loss.
So scheduling a routine hearing exam will be a good plan for pretty much everyone.
Four reasons to check your hearing
There are four noteworthy reasons why keeping an eye on your hearing can be worthwhile to your overall health.
1. You can identify the baseline for your healthy hearing
It might seem ridiculous to take a hearing test while your hearing is still healthy, right? Well, getting a hearing test early is a good idea for a number of reasons. 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 identify any changes in the future. This is especially true because hearing loss tends to progress slowly, the first symptoms aren’t always obvious.
Getting a baseline hearing exam will help detect issues long before you observe them.
2. Diagnose and treat issues earlier
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 recognize 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 safeguard your hearing such as wearing ear protection in loud spaces to the use of hearing aids. Treatment can help you avoid many of the related issues listed above, including cognitive decline, depression, and social isolation.
3. Future changes will be easier to assess
Even if you’re diagnosed with hearing loss, that doesn’t mean your hearing won’t continue to get worse as you get older. Regular hearing tests 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 normally caused by damage. Visiting 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 give you information, treatments, and best practices that can help keep your hearing as healthy as possible.
For instance, we can help you determine ways to protect your ears from day-to-day damage or develop strategies created to help you keep sounds around you quieter.
How often should I have my hearing tested?
In general, it’s suggested that adults get a hearing test sometime in their 20s or 30s, on the earlier side. Unless we suggest more frequent visits or if you detect any hearing problems, at least every ten years will be the advised interval for hearing tests.
What should I expect my hearing exam to be like? Generally, they’re completely 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 care you require, whether you need a pair of hearing aids or you just need to safeguard your ears. And a hearing test can help you determine when the best time to get your care may be.