Why is it essential to have your hearing examined on a regular basis? Well, the truth is that hearing loss can have considerable and long-term effects on your general health. Your quality of life will be improved, your health will be enhanced, and you will get the right treatment faster if you get screened regularly.
Who should get a hearing exam?
Your health and well-being can be seriously affected by untreated hearing loss. For instance, hearing loss can lead to extreme social isolation. Even while carrying out tasks such as going to the supermarket, people who suffer from hearing loss will tend to avoid reaching out to family and friends because they have a hard time making out conversations. This kind of social isolation can be harmful to your mental health and, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, your physical well-being.
Other health issues can be the result of untreated hearing loss also. Numerous chronic conditions, including depression and cognitive decline, have been associated with neglected hearing loss. Comorbidities, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease have also been associated with hearing loss.
This means that it’s generally a good idea for just about anybody to schedule a routine hearing test.
Four reasons to check your hearing
There are four noteworthy reasons why checking your hearing can be beneficial to your general health.
1. You can identify the baseline for your healthy hearing
It might seem silly to take a hearing test while your hearing is still healthy, right? Well, getting a hearing exam early is a good plan for a number of reasons. The most important is that a hearing test will give us a detailed picture of your present hearing health. This will make it much easier to detect any changes in the future. Early symptoms of hearing loss often go unnoticed because hearing loss often progresses slowly over time.
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 usually a gradual condition, meaning it tends to get 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 results.
Early treatment may include anything from taking measures to protect your hearing such as wearing ear protection in loud settings to using hearing aids. Many of the related problems like dementia, social isolation, and depression can be avoided with early treatment.
3. It’s easier to evaluate future changes
Even if you’re diagnosed with hearing loss, that doesn’t mean your hearing will remain static for the rest of your life. Regular hearing exams can help you detect changes as you go along, and make changes to your treatment plan as needed.
4. Additional damage can be avoided
Most hearing loss is caused by damage, the kind of damage that occurs gradually and over time. Your hearing specialist is a significant resource and seeing us regularly will help you identify any hearing loss as early as possible. 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 protect your ears from day-to-day damage.
How often should I get my hearing assessed?
Generally speaking, it’s recommended that adults get a hearing exam sometime in their 20s or 30s, on the earlier side. Unless we recommend more frequent visits or if you detect 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? In general, they’re totally non-invasive procedures. Often, all you do is put on special headphones and listen for a specific sound.
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 we can help you figure out what your hearing exam schedule should be.