The Importance Of Regular Hearing Screenings

Hearing loss is common, 48-million Americans live with this condition. And it can go undetected until it’s caused significant damage to your hair cells and impaired hearing. This is because hearing loss often begins gradually, as your brain can quickly adjust to not hearing certain sound frequencies.

And your friends and loved ones may notice your hearing loss before you pick up on it. Fortunately, you can avoid this by visiting your audiologist for regular tests. This article will shed light on hearing screenings and their importance.

What is a Hearing Screening?

A hearing screening features a series of tests to determine whether you have hearing loss. These evaluations don’t require preparations and are not painful. And you can have them as many times as you want during your lifetime. If your audiologist detects hearing loss, they may conduct further tests to determine if it’s mild, moderate, severe or profound.

It’s also important to note that anyone can have a hearing test; it isn’t limited to the elderly. Several hearing tests exist; your audiologist will choose the right option based on age. Here are some examples:

• Speech testing: This test involves listening to and repeating certain words or phrases to determine your speech understanding. Adults and children can undergo this screening, so keep this in mind.
• Pure-tone testing: You can easily detect the lowest volume you can hear at each pitch with pure-tone testing. Children and adults can be tested this way.
• Auditory brainstem response (ABR): This evaluation is ideal for people who can’t complete pure-tone testing, as it examines the connection between your brain and inner ear. It’s also ideal for people whose hearing loss is caused by brain injury.
• Bone conduction testing: Sometimes, hearing loss is triggered by wax buildup. Fortunately, a bone conduction test can ascertain whether you have a wax buildup or your sensory cells are damaged.
• Tympanometry: This test can reveal if you have a ruptured eardrum, fluid buildup in your middle ear or wax in your ear canal.
• Otoacoustic emissions test (OAE): Your audiologist can reveal your inner ear function with this evaluation.

Why Do You Need Regular Hearing Screening?

Hearing is often taken for granted until it is completely lost. Indeed, hearing loss can affect interactions and productivity and even cause social isolation. Fortunately, hearing tests can help you avoid these. Here are some benefits you can consider.

You Can Monitor Your Hearing Health

With regular hearing screening, your audiologist can clearly understand your hearing health. This way, it becomes easier to detect even the slightest changes. If there is any change, your audiologist can give you the necessary treatments to ensure your hearing doesn’t decline. This can also be a great time to learn various strategies to maintain hearing health.

You Can Detect Hearing Loss Early

As stated earlier, hearing loss can creep up on you without discernible signs and symptoms. Often, people realize they have this condition after significant damage has been done. However, regular hearing screenings can help you quickly detect the onset of hearing loss. This way, your audiologist can administer the best treatment to improve your hearing. Other tests can also be conducted to determine your hearing loss’s severity, so keep this in mind.

You Can Evaluate Your Current Hearing Treatment

Hearing tests aren’t limited to people who don’t have hearing loss. If you live with this condition, you should attend regular evaluation sessions to evaluate your hearing treatment’s effectiveness. Moreover, your hearing needs can change over time, and different treatments would be needed to improve your hearing. For instance, your mild or moderate hearing loss may proceed to severe and hearing aids may not be practical anymore.

It’s a Part of Your Health Checks as You Age

Indeed, aging can alter your overall body functions, and your hearing is no exception. Therefore, adding hearing tests to your overall checkups is beneficial, especially if you are aging. Experts advise not to wait till your hearing ceases to schedule a hearing evaluation.

How to Prepare for Your Hearing Screening

Before attending your hearing screening, it’s important to do the following:

• Prepare your medical information and history.
• Clean your ears.
• Jot down questions for your audiologist.
• Reschedule your screening if you have a cold.
• Bring someone along for your test.

Schedule Your Hearing Screening Today!

Seeing the benefits of regular hearing screening, you’ll find it helpful to schedule one as soon as possible. You can visit Arkansas Professional Hearing Care or call us at (501) 588-0177 to make an appointment.