The Importance of Regular Hearing Check-Ups for Your Health

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People take their hearing for granted. Unless they plug their ears, this sense is constantly being used. It even detects when things are unnaturally silent. Sound enriches a person’s life, but many people never stop considering how to maintain their hearing. They wait until they have significant hearing loss before having it tested. This needs to change. 

People should never wait until they need an audiologist to make an appointment. They should schedule one today to learn the state of their hearing. If problems are detected, the audiologist can develop a treatment plan to prevent them from escalating. If the hearing is fine, the audiologist can recommend keeping it that way. Being proactive with hearing is always a wise move. What does a hearing check-up involve? 

Hearing Check-Ups

Unless a person has undergone hearing tests in the past, they may not be familiar with a hearing check-up. An audiologist or hearing specialist performs this comprehensive exam, using one or more tests to determine a person’s level of hearing. 

Pure-tone audiometry determines a person’s ability to hear various frequencies and pitches, while speech audiometry assesses their ability to understand and interpret speech. The doctor may also conduct a tympanometry test to learn how the eardrum responds to air pressure changes or otoacoustic emissions testing to measure sounds produced by the inner ear in response to sound signals. Additional assessments may also be completed based on what the audiologist finds during these tests. 

The Importance of Hearing Check-Ups

Regular hearing checkups offer numerous benefits. They allow medical professionals to detect hearing problems early and intervene and provide treatment, reducing the risk of hearing loss escalating and complications developing. Early detection helps lower the costs associated with treating the hearing loss. 

A person’s quality of life deteriorates when they cannot hear properly. They may be unable to enjoy music and television shows or find it hard to converse with others. This hearing loss can increase the risk of cognitive decline and speed up its progression. When a person cannot hear properly, they are more at risk of anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Their relationships often suffer because they are unable to communicate properly. 

Why People Put Off Hearing Check-Ups

There are several reasons a person might put off a hearing check-up. Some people worry about what the doctor will tell them and would prefer to remain ignorant about their problems. Others fear these tests because they assume they are uncomfortable and invasive. Most tests are painless and noninvasive, but people don’t realize this. 

Cost is another reason a person might delay a hearing check-up. Men and women must recognize and treat hearing loss early to save money.  People must understand the importance of hearing tests and schedule a test immediately to see the benefits. 

Protecting Hearing

Individuals can do several things to protect their hearing. Anytime a person is in a loud environment, they must wear ear protection to lessen the noise that reaches the ears. When wearing headphones, people should never turn the volume up so it exceeds 60 percent of the maximum level. In addition, they should never wear headphones for more than 60 minutes at a time. 

Eating healthy, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep will help protect auditory health. Blood circulation can damage the ear’s delicate structures, so people must prioritize their health and well-being. Additionally, cotton swabs should never be placed in ears. Doing so could put wax deep into the ear canal, leading to a blockage or damage to these delicate structures. 

Schedule a hearing check-up today to learn the status of your hearing health. This should be done regardless of whether you have noticed any hearing loss. The audiologist will conduct tests to establish a baseline if problems develop later in life. Being proactive is always wise regarding any part of a person’s health, so make this appointment today.