Do you experience issues with your hearing? Are you considering seeing an audiologist? Read on to see if it’s time for you to see a professional today!

So what is an audiologist? An audiologist is a trained hearing professional who specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare of any hearing-related problems and balance disorders. They also provide Comprehensive Testing to evaluate your hearing abilities, including your ability to detect and understand speech, perceive different frequencies and sounds, and locate the sound source.

There are many types of hearing loss, and it’s time to monitor your hearing if you have a history of:

Constant Exposure to Loud Noises

When you’re always turning up the TV or music, you might not realize just how loud you keep it until others are in the room begging you to turn it down. You may even be in situations where you are exposed to loud sounds against your choice, like working with power tools or fast cars. And that can sometimes lead to turning sounds up at home because you can’t hear things any other way, creating a vicious cycle of loud noises you hear daily.

Other Medical Experiences

Maybe you’ve had an appointment recently with a different doctor, and they happen to recommend hearing assistive technology to you, or they’ve even prescribed ototoxic/hearing-damaging medications. Don’t take professional recommendations or side effects from medications lightly; they’re often the most eye-opening first step of your hearing journey.

Physical Problems or Sickness

If you have had a head injury, excessive earwax, dizziness, vertigo, loss of balance, or a genetic hearing impairment, it’s time to see an audiologist. You may have already seen a professional at the time these things occurred, but it’s extremely beneficial to see an audiologist who can look into how those things have or can potentially affect your hearing ability if not already. Preventive measures can go a long way!

Pain or Discomfort in Your Ears

Tinnitus, ear pain, ear pressure, ear infections, inner ear disease, or a ruptured eardrum are all something to get checked. Whether they’ve been issues for you for a long time or a random blip in your health, it’s great to get a second opinion from an audiologist to see how these could continue or contribute to hearing problems down the road.

Disconnecting With Others

You may find yourself avoiding social gatherings altogether and experiencing depression from lack of human connection because of difficulty following conversations due to hearing quality. The people around might have to constantly repeat themselves to you, especially in situations where the sound is a higher pitch or the environment has many sounds going on simultaneously, like in a restaurant. Even a phone call can be too difficult to comprehend. This could destroy your confidence in conversing with others, and you might retreat from usual social activities, that’s no fun at all.

Maybe you haven’t experienced many or any of the above symptoms, but if you’re between the ages of 55 and 65 and haven’t had a hearing exam or it’s been some time, you should schedule an appointment. Hearing loss is gradual and will sneak up on you one day when it seems like everything is difficult out of nowhere.

And while there might be a stigma about getting older and preparing for your first audiologist appointment, it’s something we all go through eventually, and these professionals are here to help you live a quality life throughout any stage. Besides, the general rule is that once you’re 18 years old, you should visit a professional for a hearing screening every three to five years, so there’s no shame in seeing a hearing specialist!

If you’re in the Dayton area and ready to start your journey to better hearing, contact us today!

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