Why Is a Hearing Test Important?

Most of us would not dream of missing our annual physical checkup or dental checkup. We know that they are essential for keeping on top of our health, identifying any potential issues, dealing with them before they become even more of a problem and treating the ongoing issues.

So why is it so many people skip their annual hearing tests? Why are so many of us putting so little importance on something that for communication? Why do so many of us only go and have a hearing test done when there is a prominent issue, by which point may it be too late?

You should schedule a hearing test at least once per year; more often if you already experience hearing issues or you think that there may be an issue. Here, we will look at some of the reasons why having a hearing test is so important.

Hearing loss is often subtle

You usually have physical health checkups to keep an eye on your health. You need to ensure that you do not have any problems brewing under the surface that you are not yet aware of or that you may never notice but can cause you further issues. Your hearing test does exactly that for your ear health.

Just like the rest of your body, you need to keep an eye on your hearing and your ears and be made aware of any changes that may be occurring. It is thought that on average, people take seven to ten years to visit an audiologist after experiencing the first symptoms of hearing loss, by which point the damage can be done and it may be untreatable.

Your audiologist isn’t the only person who can monitor your hearing. You should also always be looking out for any signs of hearing loss that may happen in your day-to-day life. Many situations can indicate that you might have hearing loss or another ear-related condition. These include: 

• Struggling to hear people on the phone
• Experiencing trouble with hearing conversations in a noisy environment
• Having to ask people to repeat what they are saying
• Having to strain or use effort to understand everything in a meeting of the conversation
• Not being able to pinpoint the direction from which the sound is coming
• Voices and sounds sometimes seem muffled
• Not being able to understand younger children or people with high-pitched voices
• Finding it difficult to understand speech when you are not facing the speaker
• Having to turn the TV up to hear it comfortably even if other people can hear it fine
• Needing to stay away from social situations to avoid embarrassment because you cannot hear the conversation
• Somebody close to you mentions that they think you may have a hearing issue.
• You spend a lot of time in noisy environments.
• You experience ringing, buzzing or other unusual sensations in your ears.

If you can identify with one or more of the circumstances above, it is a good idea to get your hearing checked as soon as possible.

Untreated hearing loss can affect your health and mental wellbeing.

We tend to think of hearing loss as being something that affects older people, and that is true – as you get older, there is a very good chance that you will experience a change in your hearing. However, people of any age can be affected, whether from an underlying condition or being exposed to excessive noise levels regularly. 

Hearing loss should not be ignored. In many situations, the longer you wait to see an audiologist, the worse your hearing will get. It is linked to many health issues such as heart disease, depression, anxiety, dementia, sleep apnea and other things.

If you are still of working age, untreated hearing loss can also cause you to struggle at work and miss out on opportunities. Your personal relationships may also become strained as it is much more difficult to communicate with your loved ones. However, taking early action and having hearing aids fitted can improve brain function and help overcome professional and personal setbacks.  

The sooner that hearing loss is picked up, the sooner you can act and find the right solution for you. The faster you can find a solution, the less time that you will spend feeling uncomfortable and isolated and at risk for other health problems. Regular hearing tests can give you peace of mind that you’re doing everything you can to take care of your ear health and maintain your overall quality of life. 

If you are experiencing signs of hearing loss or are due a hearing test, give Affordable Hearing a call at Irmo: 803-749-6017 and Orangeburg and Santee: 803-531-6403