Why Should You Have a Hearing Test?

People undermine getting their hearing checked. While hearing loss is the third most common health problem, followed by arthritis and heart disease, hearing tests are often ignored.

Many assume hearing tests are reserved for the elderly; however, this is far from the truth. Hearing tests are open to people of all ages. The earlier a person visits their audiologist, the sooner one can fix or improve their hearing. Hearing loss is very treatable; the chances are always better once a person begins early treatment. 

The Test Is Quick and Painless 

There is no easier procedure than getting your ears checked. Hearing tests take less than an hour, are painless and are inexpensive. During the test, an audiologist begins by conducting a physical examination. In the examination, the audiologist inspects the person’s ears, looking for signs of earwax or an ear infection. 

The examination is then followed by an audiometry test. The patient wears a set of headphones in the test and is asked to listen to various tones, each varied in pitch and volume. The audiologist charts the results during the exam. The exam is quick, taking about five to ten minutes maximum. 

Detect Hearing Loss as Soon as Possible 

When it comes to getting a hearing test, many people check their hearing once the damage has already been done. The earlier a person tests their hearing, the sooner one can detect any potential problems. Generally, young and middle-aged adults do not register for a hearing exam as they suspect their hearing is fine. However, the truth is a person’s hearing is always vulnerable to wear-and-tear.

Young and middle-aged adults can be at risk of hearing loss. For example, if a person regularly listens to sounds louder than 85 decibels, they are at risk of hearing loss, regardless of age. Likewise, people sixty and older are advised to register for a hearing test as they are at risk for age-related hearing loss. 

Prevent Worse-Case Scenarios 

When a person’s hearing loss is left untreated, one is at risk of developing worse issues. For example, untreated hearing loss can lead to dementia, social isolation, depression and confusion. By detecting hearing loss during a person’s early life, having a hearing exam can protect one from these worse-case scenarios risks. 

Likewise, hearing tests can also help discover other potential health issues. For example, hearing loss can at times be symptomatic of other illnesses, like heart disease or diabetes. In other instances, hearing loss can also result as a part of a drug’s side effects. 

Healthy Ears, Happy Life 

A hearing test is likelier to improve your standard of life. After all, life is more enjoyable when you can hear everything correctly. For once, you won’t need to up the volume with every device or ask a person to repeat a sentence for the millionth time. Even if one is diagnosed with mild hearing loss, the difference before and after an exam is prominent; audiologists can take appropriate action and prescribe a suitable hearing aid.