While it is rare for individuals to return for a repeat hearing test in Bristol, there are a number of situations where it is better to return for a repeat test earlier rather than later.
After a Sudden or One-Sided Change
A fresh hearing test is required if sounds appear to have become duller overnight. A sudden loss of hearing, particularly if one ear is worse than the other, can have treatable causes of hearing loss, as noted in the NHS hearing loss and causes section.
When a Hearing Aid Needs Checking
You will also want to have your hearing checked a few weeks after you have started using a new hearing aid. This is because your hearing will sometimes drop slightly as you get used to the new sounds that the hearing aid is amplifying, and it is important to have your hearing aids checked and your hearing tested in order to have your hearing aids re-calibrated to the new audiogram.
After an Ear Infection, Surgery, or Wax Removal
If you have recently had an ear infection, or surgery to your ear, it is best to wait for a few weeks for your hearing to return to normal, and for your audiogram to return to a normal or ‘quiet’ state, rather than showing an altered hearing loss due to recent inflammation or blockage in your ear.
Following a Change in Noise Exposure
Loud music at home or weekend nights at live music venues can also have a detrimental effect on your hearing. Testing as soon as possible after a change in your exposure to noise at work, home or even travel to work, will enable any noise induced hearing loss to be identified as soon as possible. A useful reference for Hearing Test Bristol is www.imperialhearing.com/audiologist-near-me/bristol/.
When a Previous Result Was Borderline
If your last hearing test found that you had slightly lost hearing and we had put you on a monitoring program, it is a waste of time to wait for the routine time for a new test to be carried out. A test carried out as soon as possible will show whether your hearing loss has remained the same or if it has changed.
A specific trigger is better than a date on a calendar.