Why Is a Hearing Test Important?

If you are experiencing some hearing loss and want to understand why, then you need to have a hearing test. In fact, it is probably a good course of action to get your ears tested fairly regularly, even if you’re unsure if you have any hearing loss or not. As we age, the body starts breaking down, so having a regular hearing exam throughout your life is a good idea. It will help diagnose any issues or potential issues going forward.

Why get your hearing tested?

You do not need to have any obvious signs of a hearing problem to have a hearing test. In fact, it is probably more useful to think of a hearing exam as a check-up, just like going to the dentist. It can be seen as a preventative measure, just to make sure things are as they should be. A hearing test has the ability to detect some physical or medical ailments which you may not even know you have. Also, if you do not get your hearing tested, and you do have issues, there are dangers that you will develop dementia more easily. It will also cause a decrease in your cognitive ability. You may isolate yourself, and it can result in depression. For your overall health and wellbeing, it is wise to have a regular hearing exam.

What happens during the test?

You are placed into a soundproofed room, and then you put on some earphones. A machine that sends sounds and tones is played into the earphones, with each ear played one at a time. When you hear a sound, you are usually asked to raise your hand, left for left or right for right. There are different tests and sounds to try and determine the sort of sound loss that you may have. You will also have a speech test where you repeat words you hear. There is also a tympanometry and acoustic reflex test where a soft plug is put into your ear. The plug can change pressure and make a sound and will track how you perform.

What can a hearing test discover?

If you are sensible and have regular hearing tests, many things can be discovered. Here are a few benefits of regular hearing tests:

• It can uncover underlying medical conditions: Most hearing loss is associated with getting older. However, diseases such as diabetes can also cause hearing loss. Also, things such as high blood pressure can result in tinnitus. A lot of patients who present with hearing loss can fix it by attending to the other underlying problems.
• It can highlight any potential issues going forward: You are able to track the changes in your hearing if you have regular tests, so using history, a model can be created. Your past audiograms will be used as a litmus test to see how your hearing is changing and how quickly. This way, potential problems such as earwax build-up can be diagnosed, as well as sound-induced hearing loss, meaning you can slow the progression.
• You will be forewarned to stop more damage before it occurs: If you do have hearing loss and have it diagnosed, you can do something about it, like get a hearing aid. Hearing loss can cause anxiety and depression, and not being able to hear will make you isolate yourself. This is not good. Hearing loss also can cause loss of balance, and therefore older people will suffer more slips, trips and falls. Also, there is a chance of not being able to hear things like smoke detectors. Getting the right hearing aids for your hearing loss can help prevent this sort of thing.
• You will be able to start the correct treatment: If you start treatment while the condition is still in the early phases, you may be able to stop it from progressing as quickly and have a better quality of life.

If you feel that you have hearing loss, you should seek medical advice. You may be in denial, but deep down, you know that you need some help. So, if you have to ask people to repeat themselves, if you avoid social gatherings, try and avoid talking on the telephone or cannot hear a high-pitched noise, everyone else can, you may need some help. There is no time like the present, and the truth is the hearing loss may be easily reversible. If you would like to book yourself in for a hearing test, then please call the Hearing Wellness Centre at (844) 663-9433 and make an appointment.