Why is having routine hearing assessments significant? That’s because your general health can be substantially impacted by hearing loss. Having your hearing evaluated regularly can help you identify hearing loss early, get care quicker, and, improve your health, wellness, and quality of life.
Who should get a hearing exam?
A loss in hearing ability can generate effects that can seriously hinder your health and well-being. For instance, hearing loss can lead to extreme social isolation. Talking with family and friends can become more difficult, and individuals with hearing loss may be less likely to reach out to other people, even during routine activities like shopping or going to work. It may not be shocking that this kind of social isolation can result in mental health issues, but it may come as a surprise to discover that it can be harmful to your physical health too.
Hearing loss can trigger other problems as well. For example, neglected hearing loss has been linked to many chronic conditions, including cognitive decline and depression. Comorbidities, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease have also been linked to hearing loss.
As a result, it’s generally a good idea for just about anyone to schedule a routine hearing test.
You should get your hearing checked for these four reasons
Getting your hearing checked can be helpful to your general health for four specific reasons.
1. You can identify the baseline for your healthy hearing
Why would you want to get your hearing checked if it seems healthy? Well, there are several good reasons to get a hearing exam early. The most significant is that a hearing exam will give us a precise picture of your current hearing health. This will make it much easier to diagnose any changes in the future. This is especially true because hearing loss tends to develop slowly, the first symptoms are not always noticeable.
Before you observe any symptoms, a hearing exam will help identify hearing loss in its early stages.
2. Diagnose and treat issues earlier
Hearing loss is typically a progressive condition, meaning it tends to get worse over time. As a result, detecting hearing loss early often means a better prognosis. This is because you’re able to treat the condition at the earliest possible juncture.
When you get treatment early it will mean doing things like using hearing protection or possibly wearing hearing aids. Treatment can help prevent many of the associated issues listed above, including dementia, depression, and social isolation.
3. It’s easier to evaluate future changes
Your hearing loss will keep progressing even after you get diagnosed. Routine hearing tests can help you detect changes as you go along, and make changes to your treatment plan as needed.
4. Further damage can be avoided
Hearing loss that develops 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 significant 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 determine ways to keep sounds around you quieter and also help you safeguard your ears from day-to-day damage.
How often should I get my hearing examined?
On the earlier side, adults should put off no longer than their early twenties to start routine hearing tests. Unless we suggest more frequent visits or if you notice any hearing problems, at least every ten years will be the advised interval for hearing tests.
But maybe you’re thinking: what should I expect at my hearing exam? Generally, they’re entirely non-invasive procedures. Often, all you do is put on special headphones and listen for a specific sound.
We will be able to help you get the care you need, whether you need a pair of hearing aids or you just need to protect your ears. And a hearing test can help you determine when the best time to get your care might be.