50+ Lifestyles

Ask the Audiologist

By Laura Mergen, Au.D., CCC-A
Audiology Consultants, P.C.

May is Better Hearing Month!

What a great time to think about your hearing health. Here are 6 Good Reasons to Have Your Hearing Tested!

1. You are having a hard time hearing. A hearing test will diagnose a hearing loss if you have one. If you do have a hearing loss, a hearing test can tell you if you would benefit from hearing aids.
2. It is time to get a baseline. Hearing tends to slowly decline with age. Having a baseline while your hearing is relatively  good allows your hearing to be monitored for changes over time. Having this information can help diagnose ear and hearing issues that may arise down the road.
3. You may have had changes in your hearing you are not aware of. Hearing loss tends to be very gradual. As your hearing slowing changes, your brain also slowly adjusts, so that any change in hearing seems to sneak up on you. If you have had a baseline hearing test done, it is easy to see if there have been any changes. If you have not had a baseline hearing test, having a hearing test now still provides valuable information about your hearing.
4. Your hearing has changed recently. A sudden change in hearing should be treated as a medical emergency. Sudden hearing loss could be as easy to fix as removing some stubborn earwax. However, there are other more serious, though rare, causes of sudden hearing loss that are worth having your hearing tested to rule out.
5. There is something more medical going on with your hearing. Pain, drainage, or even just a plugged sensation can indicate something more is going on. A hearing test provides information about the health of your ears and can give direction for the next step in treatment.
6. Your friends and/or family are telling you that you are having a hard time hearing, even if you think you hear fine. It is common for your loved ones to notice you struggle with your hearing before you realize it, or perhaps before you are ready to admit it. Having a hearing test can validate your hearing struggles and help determine the next step if there is one.

No matter your reason for scheduling a hearing test, having a hearing test completed is the first step in hearing better!