When Should You Visit a Hearing Care Professional?

A hearing healthcare professional is there to help you with a variety of different problems. A lot of people are aware that they exist, but they’re unsure when they should visit one. With that being said, we’ve put together a short post that explains when you should pick up the phone and book an appointment with a hearing care provider.

Everything sounds muffled and unclear

Are you finding it hard to hear everything? Maybe you’re asking people to repeat what they’re saying, or perhaps you have to turn the volume up on your TV to listen to the news? If everything in your life feels much quieter than usual, then this could be a sign of hearing loss. As a result, it’s essential that you visit a hearing healthcare professional as soon as possible. They can test your hearing, inspect your ears and tell you if something is wrong. The longer you leave the problem undiagnosed, the worse your hearing can become. So, as soon as you notice that everything feels quieter and you’re having a hard time hearing things, pick up the phone and give them a call.

There’s a ringing/whistling in your ears

Usually, it’s perfectly reasonable to experience a little bit of ringing in your ears from time to time; this is especially common if you’ve just been exposed to loud noises. However, it should be a concern when you’ve had this ringing or whistling sound for more than a week. These symptoms could indicate you have a condition called tinnitus. It’s important to see a hearing healthcare professional as they can tell you whether or not this is something to worry about. It could be an issue that will go away over time or was caused by something like earwax buildup, but it could also be a symptom of permanent hearing loss. To really know, see your hearing specialist to see what’s wrong and get the right treatment.

You’ve never had a hearing test before

One of the critical roles performance by a hearing healthcare provider is that they conduct hearing tests. These tests will check all aspects of your hearing to see how well you understand different pitches, tones and general conversations. It’s the most effective way of understanding your hearing health, and everyone needs to have one at some point in their lives. If you’ve never had a hearing test, then this is a great time to see your hearing specialist. It may surprise you to see how good or bad your hearing is, and you could even catch hearing loss at an early stage. Regular hearing tests are recommended for everyone over the age of 60, but it’s definitely worth getting one if you’re younger than this and have never had one before.

Hopefully, this sheds some light on when you should see a hearing healthcare professional. If any of the three things apply to you, then we recommend you book an appointment as soon as can be. The quicker you see a hearing specialist, the earlier you can catch problems and get treatment for them.