It’s difficult to believe but most individuals have gone over ten years without getting a hearing exam.
One of those people is Harper. She reports to her doctor for her annual medical exam and has her teeth cleaned every six months. She even replaces her timing belt every 6000 miles. But she always forgets to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing assessments are essential for a variety of reasons, early detection of hearing loss being one of the most essential. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she knows how frequently to get her hearing tested.
So you should have your hearing examined how often?
If the last time Harper took a hearing assessment was over ten years ago, that’s alarming. Or maybe it isn’t. Her age will greatly determine our reaction. Depending on age, guidelines will differ.
- If you are over fifty years old: Once a year is the suggested schedule for hearing tests in people over fifty. Hearing loss is more likely to have an affect on your life as you get older because the noise damage that has built-up over a lifetime will speed up that impairment. Moreover, as we age we’re more likely to have other health conditions that can have an impact on hearing.
- For individuals under 50: It’s usually recommended that you get a hearing exam once every three to ten years or so. Of course, it’s fine to get a hearing assessment more often. But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should be cautious and get checked more frequently if you work in a job that tends to be loud or if you go to a lot of concerts. After all, it’s painless, simple, and there’s really no good reason not to do it.
You should have your hearing assessed if you experience any of these signs.
Undoubtedly, there are other occasions, besides the annual exam, that you might want to come in for a consultation. Maybe you start to experience some signs of hearing loss. And in those instances, it’s important to reach out to us and schedule a hearing assessment.
Here are some clues that you need a hearing exam:
- You’re having a tough time hearing conversations when you’re in a loud setting.
- Having a difficult time hearing consonants (in general, consonants are spoken in a higher wavelength than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are often the first to go as hearing loss takes hold.)
- The volume on your stereo or television is getting louder and louder.
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Sounds get muffled; it starts to sound as if you always have water in your ears.
- Having a very hard time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- You need people to speak louder or repeat themselves.
When the above warning signs start to add up, it’s a good sign that the ideal time to get a hearing test is right now. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
What are the benefits of hearing testing?
There are lots of reasons why Harper may be late in getting her hearing test.
It might have slipped her mind.
It’s possible that she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the recommended hearing tests has concrete benefits.
Even if you think your hearing is perfectly healthy, a hearing test will help set a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to identify. If you can detect your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you can better protect it.
Discovering hearing problems before they cause permanent hearing loss is the exact reason someone like Harper should get tested regularly. Your ears will remain healthy longer by getting these regular screenings. If you let your hearing go, it can have an affect on your general health.