Why is it worthwhile to have your hearing tested on a regular basis? That’s because your overall health can be considerably affected by hearing loss. Getting your hearing examined regularly can help you detect hearing loss early, get care quicker, and, improve your health, well-being, and quality of life.
Who should get a hearing test?
A loss in hearing ability can generate effects that can seriously hamper your health and well-being. Social isolation, for example, can be a result of untreated hearing loss. Even while doing tasks such as going to the supermarket, people who suffer from hearing loss will often avoid reaching out to friends and family because they have a difficult time making out conversations. This type of social isolation can be detrimental to your mental health and, possibly somewhat surprisingly, your physical wellness.
Hearing loss can cause other problems as well. Numerous chronic conditions, including depression and dementia, have been linked to untreated hearing loss. It’s also been linked to a number of comorbidities, including diabetes, heart issues, and high blood pressure.
This means that it’s generally a good plan for just about anybody to schedule a routine hearing test.
You should get your hearing checked for these four reasons
Getting your hearing tested can be helpful to your overall health for four distinct reasons.
1. You can discover the baseline for your healthy hearing
It may seem foolish to get your hearing tested while your hearing is still healthy, right? Well, there are a number of good reasons to take a hearing test early. The most significant is that a hearing exam will give us a detailed picture of your current hearing health. This will make it far easier to identify any changes in the future. This is especially true because hearing loss tends to progress gradually, the first symptoms are not always apparent.
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 normally a progressive condition, meaning it tends to get 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 possibly wearing hearing aids. Treatment can help you avoid many of the associated issues listed above, such as cognitive decline, 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 will remain static for the rest of your life. Routine hearing exams can help you detect changes as you go along, and make changes to your treatment plan as necessary.
4. Additional damage can be avoided
Hearing loss that progresses slowly over time is normally caused by damage. Seeing us regularly to get your hearing assessed helps you identify that damage as early as possible, and it also gives you access to a considerable 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 figure out ways to protect your ears from day-to-day damage or develop strategies designed to help you keep sounds around you quieter.
What should my hearing test routine look like?
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 test every ten years thereafter unless you observe signs of hearing loss or we suggest something more frequently.
But maybe you’re thinking: what should I expect at my hearing test? Generally, they’re totally non-invasive procedures. Typically, you simply listen for some tones in a special set of headphones.
Whether you need some hearing protection or a new set of hearing aids, we will be able to help you with the best hearing care. And a hearing test can help you figure out when the best time to get your care may be.