How much thought do you give to your hearing health? If you’ve recently noticed that your hearing isn’t quite as sharp as it once was, it might prompt you to book an appointment with an audiologist. Or perhaps you’re trying to be more proactive with your health in general and want to have your hearing checked as part of an overall wellness program?
Maybe you’ve not given your hearing health a passing thought ever, and just happened to have stumbled across this article. If this is the case, here are some signs that it’s worth going to see an audiologist.
You Work in a Noisy Job
Working in a noisy job can be particularly detrimental to your hearing health, since you’re exposed to noise for long periods each day and over a long timeframe. Just a few of the noisiest job roles have been found to include construction workers, nightclub workers, factory workers, farm workers and dentists. While most workplaces will have health and safety practices in place to prevent hearing damage, too much noise at work is still something that many people will have been exposed to.
If you were a musician for example or worked in a noisy job pre 2006 since this is when noise regulation laws were rolled out in most industries. Your hearing could have been damaged, even if you’re only starting to really notice changes now.
You Have to Ask People to Repeat Themselves
Have you noticed that you’re constantly asking people to repeat what they’re saying? This can be embarrassing, and cause those with hearing changes to become quite self-conscious. As a result, you might find yourself withdrawing more from social situations.
Other ways people might point out your hearing loss to you is by saying that your music or TV is turned up very loud. In some cases, you might not realize that your hearing has deteriorated until these types of things are pointed out by others. If they do, it’s probably a good time to book in with an audiologist.
You haven’t Had a Hearing Checkup in a While
It’s recommended to have a hearing checkup every three to five years. However, if you’re experiencing any kind of changes and are worried at all, book in sooner rather than later. If you have any early hearing loss or damage, making some changes to your lifestyle such as listening to headphones at a reasonable volume and wearing earplugs in noisy environments can prevent things from getting worse.
We all know we should be going for regular dental checkups and trips to the opticians. But fewer people take their hearing health into account. Schedule a visit if you’ve not been in a long time, and then attend your follow up appointments every few years after that.
As with all things health related, being proactive is best. Catching any issues early will give you time to make lifestyle changes or be put onto the right plan of action by an audiologist.
