Top Reasons to Have a Hearing Test

Have you in recent times found yourself increasing the volume of your television or radio set? Better yet, do you find yourself asking people to say what they said again because you didn’t quite catch everything? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is time to get a hearing test done. Many times, people tend to ignore the subtle signs indicative of a pressing health issue. That explains the essence of this article and why you should have a hearing test.

To detect hearing loss early in old age

For people in the age range of 65 and above, hearing loss is common. One in three persons within this age bracket has to deal with presbycusis, the medical term for age-related hearing loss. It happens as a result of changes in the auditory nerve and inner ear. In most cases, it affects both ears and with the same degree of hearing loss. Failure to get an early diagnosis could cause your brain to reduce the speed at which it recognizes and processes certain sounds.

However, the hearing specialist’s early diagnosis will provide an opportunity to use and adapt to hearing aids quicker. Fortunately, adapting faster to the devices, especially with a mild hearing loss, helps the brain return to a quicker rate of processing sounds.

Hearing loss is gradual (depending on severity)

It is rare to hear perfectly on a given day only to lose it the next day, without logical cause. Understandably, factors such as loud bangs very close to the ear or a head injury could contribute to temporal hearing loss. Other than that, hearing loss (regardless of age) is a gradual process. It explains why many people do not realize it until significant deterioration has occurred.

However, with a voluntary decision to adhere to regular tests, your hearing healthcare professional can identify potential concerns that require immediate attention. It is not ideal to wait it out, and hope your hearing will return to normal. Your best option is to seek help when it’s needed most.

When you have some health conditions

Medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, some allergies, brain tumors or injury contribute to hearing loss. Sometimes, when a stroke occurs in parts of the brain, controlling balance and hearing, hearing loss occurs. Other examples of health conditions that could put you at risk of hearing loss are severe jaundice, chickenpox, meningitis, chronic earwax impactions and mumps. Other diseases or health conditions could predispose a person to hearing loss, but the common ones are listed here.

Certain lifestyles and professions

Unfortunately, some professions have to attach high priority to their ear health. Through no fault of theirs, chosen careers and lifestyles could impact hearing quality. For example, construction workers, musicians, studio sound engineers and news anchors are in risk-prone occupations. For news anchors, the prolonged use of devices fixed into the ear canal to aid communication with the studio director puts them at risk.

To determine the type of hearing aids to use

The degree of hearing loss will determine what kind of hearing aid you need. In addition to that, how well you can manage small devices plus your lifestyle will determine what type you need. For instance, an in-the-canal (ITC) device fits the specific ear canal, but it can be quite challenging to adjust or remove due to its small size. For children and adults who cannot handle tiny devices, it may not be ideal.

The in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid has all its electronics encased in a plastic shell and is ideal for mild to severe hearing loss cases. However, the aids need to be changed yearly as the ears continue to grow for children who use them. On the other hand, the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid rests behind the ear in hard plastic. These are ideal for preventing earwax build-up.
 
Indeed, for an enjoyable hearing experience, your ear health is essential. For most people, a hearing test brings finality to what may be causing low or poor auditory quality. Take your test now and have better conversations and a more fulfilling social life.