Why Does Work History Matter During a Hearing Test?

103 29
Though you may not realize it, your work history will matter during your hearing test.
The job of an audiologist is not just to screen your ability to hear using various devices and machines.
Rather, it is to fully understand what is happening with your ears as well as why it is happening.
If you are visiting for the first time, a key component to this initial meeting will be gathering information about your medical history.
It will also comprise a few minutes of talking about your work history.
This information can be very valuable to your loved one.
What Did You Do? Your doctor is likely to ask you, before the hearing test, what type of work you did.
This means looking at all of your work history.
He or she is looking for specific types of work that could be contributing factors to hearing loss.
There are two main types that could be a problem.
Are You Exposed to Loud Sounds? In some types of work, you are exposed to loud sounds.
If you are in the military, for example, you hear sounds such as guns firing.
If you work with explosives, you hear those exploding.
If you work in the music industry, you may be exposed to loud sounds, too.
This type of work can contribute to significant damage to the inner ear.
These types of single, but loud sounds can damage your ears within needing very much time to do so.
In fact, in some situations, it takes just one exposure to cause the damage.
Are You Exposed to Prolonged Noise? Sometimes, the sounds do not need to be very loud for there to be a problem.
Rather, the sounds may be just above a safe level and be prolonged.
That means you hear them all the time and even on an ongoing basis for hours.
This type of work experience can be problematic, too.
If the sounds are too high and you experience them all the time, that can damage your hearing.
Things like power tools, loud motorcycles, and sirens can be damaging to your ears.
Even some types of factory work can be too loud for your ears to be undamaged by them.
If this type of situation is present, your doctor needs to know about it.
Overall, there are many reasons your doctor needs to know about your work history.
Be sure to be thorough since even the types of work you were exposed to years ago can be a contributing factor now.
It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about these concerns before your hearing test.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up here to get the latest news, updates and special offers delivered directly to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe at any time

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.