For many people, hearing tests are something to be avoided. Nobody likes to admit that they're getting older, and sometimes people feel like admitting that they might have a hearing problem is doing just that. However, getting your hearing tested is something you should strongly consider doing if you or others have noticed that you don't seem to be hearing as well as you once did. If you're having trouble making yourself do it, here's three good reasons why you really should.

It Doesn't Diminish You

The first thing to point out here is that finding out that you've lost some of your hearing doesn't diminish you as a person or adult in any way. The ears are able to detect sound courtesy of tiny little hairs on the surface that capture vibrations and translate them into the sound you hear. When people age, they naturally start to lose some of these hairs, and unfortunately, they don't grow back. It's a normal part of aging and doesn't mean that you're at fault or have done something wrong to damage your hearing your life. Being proactive and taking steps to improve your hearing, such as starting with a hearing aid test, is no different than people taking vitamins to make up for nutritional deficits and age-related needs.

Continuous Monitoring

Imagine for a moment that you have your hearing tested and find out that either your hearing is perfect, or at least at an acceptable, healthy range for your age group. If you're thinking that it will have been a waste of time and money, that's not the case.

Having a baseline for your hearing capability is something that will be a big help to your doctors in the future. Unfortunately, certain health conditions and medications can have an impact on hearing, either temporarily or permanently. If your doctor sends you to have your hearing tested later on suspecting that this may be a problem, they'll have something to compare it to, rather than having to guess if you've always had hearing deficits. This can give them the opportunity to change or prescribe medication that can potentially counter these effects. In other words, a test today can potentially help your hearing later.

Risk of Dementia

Finally, it's worth pointing out that losing one's hearing does more than impact your ability to enjoy sounds. Developing hearing loss can lead to an increased risk of developing some forms of dementia. The important thing to note is that it's typically untreated hearing loss, or in other words, people who have lost hearing and didn't get hearing aids or other medical care to improve it. While the link isn't fully understood, getting your hearing tested now and treated, if necessary, could potentially help to protect your brain and future.