3 Reasons to See an Audiologist

Hearing loss is currently the third most common health problem in the whole of America. However, it’s still also one of the most common health problems that people avoid or aren’t even aware of. Hearing loss can happen to anyone and the degree that it affects our lives can vary from person to person. It’s incredibly important that you get your hearing checked at some point because you might need hearing aids to help you live a more comfortable and independent life in the future. The earlier you diagnose your hearing loss, the less of a negative effect it can have on your overall health.

We’ve put together a short list of three of the top reasons to go see an audiologist. Hopefully, this article will convince you to take your hearing more seriously so that it doesn’t have a chance to negatively impact your life.

The health of your ears reflects your overall health

Although it might not seem like it, your hearing and your ear health in general has a major effect on the rest of your health. For instance, your hearing health can actually affect your depression due to the social isolation it can eventually cause if left undiagnosed, and it can also be linked to diabetes. In short, if you’re going for a physical examination to check your overall health, you shouldn’t neglect the importance of your ear health. If you have a physical examination planned, make sure to speak to your doctor and ask them to refer you to an audiologist.

Checking for symptoms of tinnitus

If you’ve heard a ringing, whistling or whining noise in your ear, then there’s a chance that you might be one of 28 million Americans suffering from tinnitus. It’s a condition characterized by noises that you hear in your ears or your head even though there are no noises around you. It’s often a symptom of a much larger issue such as hearing loss, and it’s important to isolate the underlying issue in order to successfully treat it or at least find a way to help you deal with it. Tinnitus can range from being mildly annoying to incredibly distresses, so it’s best to deal with this symptom as quickly as possible by finding the underlying problem.

Excessive earwax could lead to further issues

While earwax is often a good thing, it can also quickly be problematic. Many people use things like cotton swabs and picks to clean their ears of wax, but this can cause damage to the nerves and the ear canal depending on how rough you are with those items. If you clean your ears on a regular basis with your own tools, then it’s a cause for concern because you could be unwillingly damaging your own hearing. If you feel like you’re producing excess earwax or it’s becoming a problem, an audiologist can help you find a solution without you resorting to cleaning your ears on your own.