According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. One of those people is Sofia. She knows to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she has a checkup with the dentist every six months, and she reports punctually for her annual medical examination. But she hasn’t had a hearing test in quite some time.
Hearing assessments are important for a wide variety of reasons, finding first symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most significant one. Sophia will be able to keep her hearing healthy for a much longer period of time by determining how frequently to have her hearing checked.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing be Tested?
We might be alarmed if Sophia hadn’t had a hearing test in ten years. Or we might think it’s completely normal. Depending on Sophia’s age, reactions might vary. This is because hearing specialists have different guidelines based on age.
- At least every three years, it’s suggested that you take a hearing test. Certainly, if you feel you should have your hearing examined more frequently, there is no harm. But once every three years is the bare minimum. If you are exposed to loud noise repeatedly or work at a job where noise is commonplace, you should err on the side of getting checked more frequently. It’s simple and painless and there’s really no reason not to do it.
- If you’re over fifty years old: The universal recommendation is that anybody older than fifty should get hearing checks yearly. As you get older, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can start to accelerate, meaning loss of hearing is more likely to start affecting your life. Plus, there are other health issues that can affect your hearing.
If you would like to undergo hearing examinations or tests more frequently, there’s certainly no harm in that, at least in terms of your hearing. The sooner you identify any issues, the more quickly you’ll be able to address whatever hearing loss that may have developed since your last hearing exam.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
Obviously, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist. Occasionally, you begin to notice some signs of hearing loss. And in those cases, it’s often a good plan to immediately get in touch with a hearing specialist and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- Phone conversations are always hard to hear.
- Continually asking people to repeat themselves or slow down during a conversation.
- Problems hearing discussions in loud environments.
- Listening to your favorite music at excessively high volumes.
- Your hearing is muted as if there is water in your ears.
- It’s typical for loss of hearing in the high pitched register to fail first and since consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they usually go first.
A strong sign that right now is the best time to have a hearing test is when the warning signs start to accumulate. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
Hearing Tests, What Are The Advantages?
Sophia may be late for her hearing exam for several reasons. Maybe she hasn’t considered it. Maybe she’s just avoiding dealing with it. But there are concrete benefits to having your hearing tested per recommendations.
Even when your hearing is totally healthy, a hearing exam can help set a standard reading, which makes deviations in the future simpler to detect. You can safeguard your hearing better if you detect it before it becomes problematic.
That’s exactly why Sophia needs to go to her scheduled 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. It’s essential to consider how hearing loss will influence your total health.