Surprisingly, it’s been more than 10 years since most people have had a hearing test.
One of those people is Harper. She schedules a cleaning and checkup with her dentist every six months and she reports dutifully for her yearly medical exam. She even gets her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But she never remembers to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing tests are important for a variety of reasons, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more essential. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she determines how frequently to get her hearing tested.
So, just how often should you have a hearing test?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t taken a hearing exam in 10 years. Or we may think it’s completely normal. Our reaction will vary depending on how old she is. Depending on age, guidelines will vary.
- If you are over fifty years old: Once a year is the suggested schedule for hearing assessments in individuals over fifty. As you get older, the noise damage you’ve sustained over a lifetime can begin to speed up, which means hearing loss is more likely to start impacting your life. Also, as we get older we’re more likely to have other health problems that can have an affect on hearing.
- For individuals under 50: It’s generally recommended that you undergo a hearing test about once every three to ten years. Of course, it’s ok to get a hearing assessment more frequently. But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should play it safe and get tested more frequently if you work in a job that tends to be noisy or if you go to a lot of concerts. It’s fast, easy, and painless so why wouldn’t you?
You need to have your hearing checked if you experience any of these signs.
Undoubtedly, there are other occasions, besides the annual exam, that you may want to come in for a consultation. Symptoms of hearing loss might begin to appear. And in those situations, it’s important to contact us and schedule a hearing exam.
A few of the signs that should prompt you to have a hearing test include:
- Phone conversations are becoming more difficult to hear.
- Asking people to talk slower or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Sudden hearing loss in one ear.
- Having a tough 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 sets in.)
- Sounds get muffled; it begins to sound as if you always have water inside of your ears.
- The volume on your stereo or television is getting louder and louder.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy environments.
It’s a strong hint that it’s time to get a hearing test when the above warning signs begin to add up. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s happening with your ears.
What are the advantages of hearing testing?
There are plenty of reasons why Harper may be late in having her hearing checked.
Maybe she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the suggested hearing tests has tangible benefits.
Even if you believe your hearing is perfectly healthy, a hearing exam will help set a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to detect. If you can catch your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you can better protect it.
Detecting hearing issues before they produce permanent hearing loss is the precise reason somebody 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 impact on your overall health.