According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of them. She knows to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her annual medical examination. But she hasn’t had a hearing exam in a long time.
There are lots of reasons why it’s beneficial to have hearing assessments, finding first symptoms of hearing loss is likely the most essential one. Knowing how often she should get a hearing examination will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing be Tested?
We may be alarmed if Sophia hadn’t had a hearing exam in a decade. Or we may think it’s perfectly normal. Our response, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, likely will vary depending on her age. This is because hearing specialists have different guidelines based on age.
- At least every three years, it’s recommended that you get a hearing test. There’s no harm in having your ears tested more often, of course! But at least every three years is the bare minimum. You should certainly get examined more often if you are frequently in a loud environment. There’s no reason not to get it done, it’s painless and simple.
- If you are older than fifty: But if you’re over fifty, the recommendation is, you get a hearing test each year. Loss of hearing is more liable to affect your life as you grow older because noise damage begins to add up. Also, there are other health issues that can affect your hearing.
If you would like to undergo hearing screenings or tests more often, there’s obviously no harm in that, at least when it comes to your hearing. Since the last time you had a hearing test, you might have new injury you should know about, so regular hearing tests may be practical.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
Obviously, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. For example, if you recognize symptoms of hearing loss. And in those instances, it’s often a good idea to immediately get in touch with a hearing professional and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- Cranking your television or car stereo to excessively high volumes (if your neighbors begin to complain, that’s a good sign you need to see a hearing specialist soon).
- It’s typical for hearing loss in the high pitched register to go first and since consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they usually fail first.
- Your hearing is dull like there is water in your ears.
- When you’re speaking with people, you constantly need to keep asking people to repeat themselves.
- Having a very hard time comprehending people when talking on the phone, any phone.
- Trouble hearing discussions in noisy environments.
A good indication that right now is the best time to have a hearing exam is when the warning signs start to add up. You need to know what’s going on with your hearing and that means getting a hearing exam as soon as possible.
What Are The Benefits of Hearing Testing?
Sophia may be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Denial is a top choice. Perhaps she’s just avoiding dealing with it. But there are tangible benefits to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
And it will be easier to diagnose hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing examined by forming a baseline reading even if it seems like everything is just fine. If you catch your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you’ll be able to protect it better.
That’s exactly why Sophia has to go to her regular hearing exams before any permanent damage happens. By catching your hearing loss early, by getting your hearing checked when you’re supposed to, you’ll be keeping your ears healthier longer. Considering the effects of hearing loss on your general health, that’s essential.