Menu
Your hearing allows you to listen to the world’s most beautiful sounds, like your child’s laughter, wave crashes, and the song you and your significant other first danced to. Unfortunately, it can be easy to overlook the health of your hearing. You may think that hearing loss is common only among the elderly, but hearing problems can actually start earlier than middle age. Because of this, getting a hearing test is important.
Learn more about this type of test by using this article as your guide.
Screening is usually performed when you don’t have any hearing loss symptoms. Compared to a hearing test, it is faster and less complicated. All you need to do is answer a questionnaire. You are also required to participate in a screening program to check your hearing if you are constantly exposed to high noise levels at work.
On the other hand, testing also referred to as a comprehensive hearing exam by professionals, is conducted when experiencing hearing loss symptoms. It involves getting your hearing levels measured by sitting in a sound-treated booth.
It’s always best to get your hearing checked if you feel like your hearing is not normal. This is especially true if you take certain medications or have health conditions, like otosclerosis, because they cause hearing loss in young adults and middle-aged individuals. On the other hand, if you develop sudden hearing loss in one ear, seek help right away because it is a medical emergency.
If your hearing loss is confirmed through the previous testing, you are required to undergo regular retesting. This way, you can pay closer attention to your hearing. Since hearing loss is dynamic and changes over time, you need to have your hearing checked if you notice any changes.
Young adults and middle-aged adults who don’t experience any hearing loss symptoms don’t need annual hearing screening. However, certain groups of people are required to get screened for hearing loss at least every few years: older adults and workers in noisy occupations.
Older adults who are 60 or older need to have a baseline hearing test and get rechecked every few years. Meanwhile, regardless of age, workers have to get their hearing checked if they are regularly exposed to sounds louder than 85 decibels.
As your hearing changes, your hearing aids have to be adjusted. You may need a new pair, especially if yours are outdated or no longer working properly.
You may also have to buy new hearing aids because your hearing loss has progressed from moderate to severe. If you have a bone-anchored hearing system or cochlear implants, ask your hearing care provider how often you should get your hearing tested.
Hearing loss impacts your health and overall quality of life. You may dismiss it as harmless, but it can affect your brain health. In fact, even a mild hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline. To check it early on, head to a reputable hearing aid clinic right away and get a hearing test.
Take care of your hearing health and determine what you can do to prevent hearing loss by getting a hearing test in Langley from Fraser Valley Beltone. We also offer an in-office hearing aid demonstration and follow-up care. Book an appointment today!