Most people rely on the major senses every day.  That much is obvious,  but less obvious is the fact that you ought to keep track of how those senses are deteriorating.  It's natural that your sight and hearing will fade over the course of your life.  That's just a part of being human, and the health industry has crafted a wide variety of solutions for dealing with that process.  However, it can be a fuss to schedule tests and dedicate time to them.  As a result, many people skip out on testing altogether.  Also, many people just get their eyes tested, neglecting to check their hearing, especially if they don't perceive a problem.  Here's why you shouldn't do this.

Your Instincts are Unhelpful

It may seem counter-intuitive, but it's best not to trust your own feelings with regard to your hearing.  With your vision, you have really obvious benchmarks to check on a day-to-day basis; if you can't read text at a distance that you know was once comfortable for you, then you're likely to book an eye test.  Your hearing is much less obvious.  Because it fades over time and in much more subtle ways, you may not feel that you have a problem when in fact it may be the case that a hearing aid could seriously improve your quality of life.

Experts Know What to Look For

Putting your hearing in the hands of experts means that you're getting the best possible care.  If the deterioration of your hearing begins to accelerate, then the professional who conducts your hearing test will be able to advise you of this.  If you were just judging by your own best guess, you might not realise how bad your hearing has gotten — or how quickly.  They can also give you the best advice on how to improve your hearing and what your treatment options are.

Book Annual Hearing Test Appointments and Reschedule Afterwards

Sometimes it's simply remembering to re-book these appointments that is the hard part.  Making one is fine, but it might be 18 months later before you remember you're due for another.  Avoid this problem by making an appointment and then booking another for a year's time on the way out.  This way it's already booked in and not something you need to remember to do.  You can even schedule it into your phone calendar with a reminder so you don't forget about it.

And remember: If your hearing is fading a little, there's nothing to be ashamed of.  It's a natural process and something that most people will face over the course of adulthood.  It's much better to address the problem than to ignore it — and having a near-invisible hearing aid is much less conspicuous than having to ask someone to repeat themselves over and over.