How to Tell if You Need a Hearing Exam

When should you get your hearing checked? Many of us have thought about this at one time or another. A hearing test is an important part of a full health exam. Hearing loss can cause people to be alone, feel hopeless, and have a lower quality of life. If you don’t deal with hearing problems, you might lose some of your hearing and find it harder to get used to hearing aids. In the long run, this could lead to more stress at home and work and less time spent with friends and family.

Signs You Need a Hearing Test

You might not know what a healthy ear should hear, which makes it hard to tell if you are losing your hearing. If you possess any of these indications, you may want to get your hearing checked by a hearing clinic in Halifax.

You turn up the volume on the stereo or TV.

This one is easy to spot if you’ve started turning up the volume on your gadgets. If this only happens occasionally, it could be because the broadcast has less power. But if you need to increase the volume daily, it could mean you have a problem with your ears. You need to see a doctor, even if it’s just a wax buildup.

Difficulty understanding speech.

Sometimes, you have to ask someone to say it again. On the other hand, if you do this often, especially if you ask more than one person, it could be a sign that you are losing your hearing. When there is a lot of background noise, it’s hard to understand what people are saying. There is also trouble with consonants.

Using your neck or body to hear.

If you have to turn your head or move your body to listen to something, you may have hearing loss in one ear. Putting your hand over your ear to block out sounds is also strange. Both of these steps might help in the short term. But if the damage keeps happening, there may come a time when treatment is no longer helpful.

Unanswered phone calls, doorbells, or alarms.

Sometimes hearing loss makes it hard to hear certain pitches and tones. Common problems include missing phone calls, visitors, and things like car alarms. If any of these problems keep coming up, it’s probably because of hearing loss. Also, if you can’t hear birdsong or other sounds of nature when you go for daily walks, it could be because of an ear problem.

Conversations drain your energy.

During conversations, many patients would strain to hear others without realizing it. Some things you can do are lean in closer, stop paying attention to the noise around you, and read their lips. Hearing loss is just one of the many things that can happen when you’re tired. An audiologist from practices like Seaside Hearing can test for problems and find ways to fix them. So, if you’re tired and have any other symptoms, it’s best to make an appointment.

Conclusion

A hearing test shouldn’t be a scary thing. Even though it’s upsetting to find out you’ve had hearing loss for a long time, it’s more reasonable to deal with it now than to have an accident because of it later. A certified audiologist will give you a professional hearing test and ensure you have all the information and help you need to understand your condition and the level of hearing loss.