The symptoms of hearing loss can be difficult to catch early. They’re often gradual, and sometimes you only first notice them if someone brings it up. Someone might say that you listen to the TV way too loudly, or that you often ask them to repeat themselves. In some cases, hearing loss can be sudden, which can perhaps be scarier. Either way, if you’re worried about your hearing, here’s what you need to do next.
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Consider the risks
The risk factors when it comes to auditory risks for adults tend to be a little different for those that apply to children. Genetic and chronic factors that you have little control over can still be an issue. Similarly, it can be related to other illnesses or physical trauma.
In many cases, however, exposure to dangerous levels of noise is a serious culprit. Before you make any appointments, think about your lifestyle. Do you work in a loud environment? Do you have any loud hobbies, like going to concerts or using power tools for DIY?
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Arrange a hearing exam
After you have thought about your own hearing health, then you should consider making an appointment with an audiologist or an ENT doctor to have a hearing exam done. This involves a visual inspection, as well as listening to and responding to different noises to pinpoint what frequencies and volumes you can hear. Remember those risk factors you thought about earlier, as it may help the doctor find specific issues that could be causing or exacerbating hearing loss, as well.
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Think about treatment methods
At the end of the hearing exam, your doctor will go through the results with you to determine if you have any hearing loss. There are different treatment methods depending on the kind of hearing loss. If it’s caused by an infection, earwax blockage, or by issues with the structure of your ear then it can be fixed by antibiotics, a professional cleaning, or surgery respectively.
For chronic hearing loss, however, hearing aids are the most effective solution, as you can read on this website. There is a wide range of devices suited to all kinds of needs, so make sure you choose with the help of your audiologist to ensure you pick the best fit.
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Protect your hearing
Regardless of whether or not you have hearing loss, it’s important that you become more aware of the different risks to your hearing, especially exposure to dangerously loud levels of noise. On this website, you will see which level of noise is considered dangerous, as well as examples of noises at different decibel marks. By recognizing your own high-risk scenarios and settings, you can invest in hearing protection to wear at those times so that you don’t cause or exacerbate any further hearing loss.
Hearing loss affects over 10% of adults, so the risks that you might experience are not inconsiderable. However, don’t panic, and just follow the steps above to figure out what the reality of the situation is.
I think its so important to get your hearing checked if not every year, every other year. I never got my hearing check until a few years ago and they told me that even with hearing aides , it still would be difficult for me.
@tisonlyme143