Why It’s Important To Get Your Hearing Checked Regularly

You schedule annual physicals to make sure your heart and body stay healthy. You attend biannual dental exams to keep your teeth in good health, and you get your vision checked every year to see if your eyesight changed. But are you treating your hearing with the same attention? Getting your hearing tested regularly is just as important to your health as a physician, dentist, or optometrist visit.

You should treat hearing screenings with the same urgency. There are several health risks associated with untreated hearing loss. That’s why it is important for hearing loss to be diagnosed and corrected.

The Benefits of Regular Hearing Tests

There are a number of reasons why you should get regular hearing tests, such as:

• Diagnosing medical conditions: While hearing loss can occur with age, often it is caused by a medical condition that requires treatment, such as otosclerosis, tumors or ruptured eardrums. These conditions can be diagnosed during a hearing test.
• Identify noise-induced hearing loss: Exposure to loud noise can cause hearing loss. If you have noise-induced hearing loss, you need to identify what is causing the problem and remove yourself from the situation or get the noise to stop. A hearing test can prompt you to take proactive action.
• Prevent further damage: When you get under the care of a physician, they can treat underlying causes of hearing loss and advise ways to protect your hearing in the future. You may be a candidate for hearing aids, which open up new worlds for those dealing with hearing loss.

Hearing tests aren’t limited to older people. Toddlers should take a hearing test if parents or teachers have noticed any speech delays or suspect hearing loss. Left untreated, hearing loss can lead to problems for children who can fall behind in school and struggle to understand their teachers.

Drawbacks of Not Getting Regular Hearing Checks

Adults who do not receive the hearing loss treatment they need can suffer setbacks at work. They may be unable to hear in large meetings or have difficulty hearing directions from their supervisors. This may be perceived as poor listening or willful ignorance, and it could impact career advancement opportunities.

Depression and isolation are also common side effects of untreated hearing loss. Being in a group and unable to understand what is happening around you can result in withdrawal. You may stop going out with friends or putting yourself in social settings because you are unable to hear conversations and become less engaged. It may feel easier to stay in, where you can engage in activities such as watching television at high volume levels.

Getting regular hearing checks can improve your social life. Contact a hearing specialist at one of our Beltone locations in your area to schedule a hearing screening and receive treatment for hearing loss, or make an appointment for an aging loved one who has become withdrawn. You can start by taking our online test to assess your hearing.

Learn More About Hearing Tests

• Why Newborn Babies Need A Hearing Screening – Newborn Hearing
• What’s in a Hearing Test?
• What is an Ear Doctor?