Why is it worthwhile to have your hearing screened on a regular basis? Well, the reality is that hearing loss can have substantial and long-term impacts on your general health. Getting your hearing examined regularly can help you identify hearing loss early, get care sooner, and, improve your health, well-being, and quality of life.
Getting a hearing test – who should do it?
A loss in hearing ability can produce effects that can greatly hinder your health and wellness. For example, hearing loss can result in intense social isolation. Conversations with family and friends can become more difficult, and those who suffer from hearing loss may be less likely to reach out to others, even during normal activities like shopping or going to work. This type of social isolation can be detrimental to your mental health and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, your physical well-being.
Other health problems can be the result of neglected hearing loss also. Numerous chronic conditions, including depression and dementia, have been associated with neglected hearing loss. It’s also been associated with various comorbidities, including diabetes, heart conditions, and high blood pressure.
So scheduling a routine hearing exam will be a good strategy for pretty much everyone.
Four reasons to monitor your hearing
Getting your hearing examined can be helpful to your general health for four specific reasons.
1. Setting a baseline for your hearing is important
Why would you want to have your hearing tested if it seems healthy? Well, getting a hearing test early is a good idea for several reasons. Your current level of hearing can be determined by a hearing exam and that’s probably the most important thing. This will make it far easier to identify any changes in the future. This is particularly true because hearing loss tends to develop slowly, the first symptoms are not always noticeable.
Before you notice any symptoms, a hearing test will help identify hearing loss in its early stages.
2. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential
Hearing loss usually progresses slowly over time. You’ll have a better prognosis, as a result, if you catch your hearing loss early. This is because you’re able to treat the condition at the earliest possible time.
Early treatment may include anything from taking measures to protect your hearing such as using ear protection in noisy settings to using hearing aids. Many of the related problems like cognitive decline, social isolation, and depression can be avoided with early treatment.
3. Future changes will be easier to assess
Your hearing loss will keep progressing even after you get diagnosed. Routine hearing assessments can help you identify changes as you go along, and make changes to your treatment plan as necessary.
4. Further damage can be prevented
Hearing loss that develops gradually over time is normally caused by damage. Your hearing specialist is a significant resource and seeing us regularly will help you identify any hearing loss as early as possible. We can give you information, treatments, and best practices that can help keep your ears as healthy as possible.
For instance, we can help you determine ways to safeguard your ears from day-to-day damage or establish strategies created to help you keep sounds around you quieter.
What should my hearing exam routine look like?
On the earlier side, adults should put off no longer than their early twenties to begin routine hearing exams. Unless we recommend more frequent visits or if you detect any hearing issues, at least every ten years will be the advised interval for hearing assessments.
But maybe you’re thinking: what should I expect at my hearing exam? Hearing exams are generally completely non-invasive. Typically, you simply listen for some tones in a special pair of headphones.
Whether you require some hearing protection or a new pair 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.