According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of those people. She knows she has to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she checks in dutifully for her annual medical examination. But she has no idea the last time she had a hearing test or underwent any sort of accurate hearing assessment.
Hearing exams are essential for a wide range of reasons, the most prominent of which is that it’s usually hard for you to notice the first signs of hearing loss if you don’t get one. Sophia can keep her hearing healthy for a much longer period of time by recognizing how often to have her ears checked.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing Get Tested?
If the last time Sofia had a hearing examination was ten years ago, we might be alarmed. Or perhaps we don’t think anything of it. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, probably will vary depending on her age. That’s because hearing professionals have different suggestions based on age.
- If you are over fifty years old: But if you’re over fifty, the recommendation is, you get a hearing exam each year. 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 begin affecting your life. There are also several other factors that can impact your hearing.
- At least every three years, it’s suggested that you have a hearing assessment. Certainly, if you think you should get your hearing examined more often, there is no harm. The bare minimum is every three years. You should definitely get tested more often if you are frequently in a noisy setting. There’s no reason not to do it, it’s painless and easy.
If you want to have hearing screenings or tests more often, there’s certainly no harm in that, at least in terms of your hearing. The sooner you identify any problems, the sooner you’ll be able to address whatever hearing loss that may have developed since your last hearing exam.
Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Checked
Of course, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. As an example, if you notice symptoms of hearing loss. And in those instances, it’s typically a good plan to promptly 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:
- Your hearing is muted as if there is water in your ears.
- When you’re in a noisy environment, you have difficulty hearing conversations.
- Having a very difficult time comprehending people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise
- Listening to your favorite music at excessively high volumes.
- It’s common for loss of hearing in the high pitched register to go first and because consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they usually go first.
- When you’re speaking with people, you constantly have to keep asking people to repeat themselves.
When these warning signs begin to accumulate, it’s a strong sign that the ideal time to have a hearing exam is right now. The more frequently you have your hearing screened, the more frequently you’ll know what’s happening with your hearing.
What Are The Benefits of Hearing Testing?
Sophia may be late for her hearing exam for several reasons. Denial is a top choice. Possibly she’s just avoiding dealing with it. But there are concrete benefits to having your hearing tested per recommendations.
And it will be easier to identify hearing deviations in the future if you have your hearing checked by establishing a baseline reading even if it seems like everything is just fine. You can safeguard your hearing better if you detect it before it becomes a problem.
The reason for regular hearing assessment is that somebody like Sofia will be able to identify issues before her hearing is diminished permanently. Early diagnosis by a hearing assessment can help your hearing be healthy for a long time. It’s essential to understand how hearing loss will influence your general state of health.