When should you schedule a hearing evaluation? Here are some indications you should get your hearing checked.

The other day, my kids complained about how loud my TV was. Do you know what I said to them? I said, “What?!” It was meant to be humerous. But it also wasn’t. The television has been getting louder and louder. And I began to ponder: Should I get a hearing test?

There’s no good reason to avoid scheduling a hearing test. They are non-intrusive, they don’t involve any radiation, and you can be at ease without concerns about your level of comfort. You just need to take a brief moment to schedule an appointment.

Thinking about how much neglected hearing loss can impact your health, it’s important to be more cautious about it.

You should get your hearing assessed if you observe these signs

If you’ve recently noticed any signs of hearing loss, it’s most likely a good plan to get a professional hearing assessment. Clearly, if things are hard to hear, that’s a fairly strong indication of hearing loss.

• It’s hard to hear in noisy venues: Have you ever been to a crowded or noisy space and had difficulty following the conversation because of all the ambient noise? It’s possible that this could be an indication of impaired hearing.
• It sounds like everybody’s mumbling all the time: In some cases it’s not loss of volume you have to worry about, it’s a loss of definition.
• You’re always missing text messages: Your phone is designed to be loud. So, if you’re always missing calls or text messages, it could be because you’re noy hearing them.
• Ringing that won’t go away: Ringing in your ears, also called tinnitus, is often a sign of hearing damage.

Other indications you should make an appointment for a hearing test:

• Your ear hasn’t opened after an infection
• Surplus earwax has amassed and can not be eliminated by self-cleaning approaches
• Medications you’re taking may be damaging your hearing
• It is difficult to identify the source of sounds
• You have vertigo

Regular checkups

But what if you haven’t recognized any of these signs of hearing loss? Is there a criteria for how often you should have your hearing checked?

• Get a baseline test done sometime after you turn 21.
• For individuals with typical hearing, it’s recommended to have a hearing evaluation every three years.
• If you display signs of hearing loss, have it evaluated right away and then annually afterwards.

Regular screenings may identify hearing loss early, before any symptom are obvious. Prompt expert attention can substantially improve your chances of preserving healthy hearing over time. So you should lower the volume on your television and think about setting up a hearing evaluation.