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 she has to have her oil changed every 3000 miles, she has a checkup with the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her yearly medical examination. But she hasn’t had a hearing exam in quite some time.
Hearing tests are beneficial for a wide range of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s often hard for you to discover the initial signs of hearing loss without one. Knowing how often she should get a hearing exam will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
How Frequently Do You Need to Get a Hearing Assessment?
If the last time Sofia took a hearing test was ten years ago, we may be alarmed. Or perhaps it doesn’t phase us. Depending on Sophia’s age, reactions might vary. This is because hearing specialists have different suggestions based on age.
- It’s generally recommended that you undergo a hearing exam every three years or so. Obviously, if you feel you should have your ears examined more frequently, that’s also fine. The bare minimum is every three years. If you are exposed to loud noise frequently or work in a field where noise is commonplace, you should decide to get tested more often. It’s easy and painless and there’s truly no reason not to do it.
- If you are over fifty years old: But if you’re above the age of fifty, the recommendation is, you have a hearing exam annually. Hearing loss is more liable to impact your life as you age because noise damage begins to add up. Also, there are other health issues that can impact your hearing.
If you want to have hearing examinations or tests more often, there’s obviously no harm in that, at least when it involves your hearing. Since you last had a hearing test, you may have new injury you should recognize, so regular hearing tests might be practical.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
There are certainly other times besides your yearly hearing test that you may want to make an appointment with your hearing specialist. For example, if you notice symptoms of hearing loss. And in those cases, it’s usually a good idea 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:
- Having a difficult time hearing consonants (in general, consonants are spoken in a higher pitch than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are usually the first to go as hearing loss takes hold)
- Continually asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- When you’re in a loud situation, you have difficulty hearing conversations.
- Your hearing is muted as if there is water in your ears.
- Phone interactions are always tough to hear.
- Listening to your favorite tunes at extremely high volumes.
A strong indication that right now is the best time to get a hearing test is when the warning signs start to accumulate. The sooner you have your hearing screened, the more frequently you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
What Are The Advantages of Hearing Testing?
Sophia might be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Perhaps she hasn’t thought about it. Potentially she’s just avoiding thinking about it. But getting your hearing examined on the recommended schedule has actual advantages.
And it will be easier to detect hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing checked by establishing a baseline reading even if it seems like everything is just fine. If you catch your hearing loss before it becomes noticeable, you can protect it better.
The reason for regular hearing testing is that someone like Sofia will be able to identify problems before her hearing is permanently diminished. By detecting your hearing loss early, by having your hearing tested when you’re supposed to, you’ll be giving your ears their best chance of staying healthy. Considering the effects of hearing loss on your total health, that’s important.