Believe it or not, it’s been over 10 years since most people have had a hearing assessment.
One of those individuals is Harper. She schedules a checkup and cleaning with her dentist every six months and she shows up dutifully for her annual medical examination. She even changes her timing belt every 6000 miles. But she never remembers to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing tests are important for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s often difficult for you to discover the earliest symptoms of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she determines how often to get her hearing tested.
So, just how often should you have a hearing exam?
If the last time Harper got a hearing test was over ten years ago, that’s alarming. Or perhaps it isn’t. How old she is will largely determine our reaction. That’s because we have different recommendations based on age.
- If you are over fifty years of age: Once annually is the recommended routine for hearing assessments in people over fifty. As you get older, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can begin to accelerate, which means hearing loss is more likely to start impacting your life. Plus, there may be other health issues that can impact your hearing.
- If you are under fifty years old: It’s generally recommended that you undergo a hearing test about once every three to ten years. Obviously, it’s ok to get a hearing test more often. But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should be cautious and get checked more frequently if you work in an occupation that tends to be noisy or if you go to a lot of concerts. It’s fast, simple, and painless so why not come in?
Signs you need to get your hearing checked
Undoubtedly, there are other times, besides the annual exam, that you may want to come in and see us. Symptoms of hearing loss might begin to surface. And when they do you should schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
A few of the signs that should motivate you to get a hearing exam include:
- Phone conversations are getting more difficult to hear.
- The volume on your stereo or television is getting louder and louder.
- Having a hard time hearing consonants (in general, consonants are spoken in a higher wavelength than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are frequently the first to go as hearing loss takes hold.)
- Sounds become muffled; it begins to sound as though you always have water inside of your ears.
- You abruptly can’t hear out of one ear.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy environments.
- You need people to talk louder or repeat themselves.
It’s a strong hint that it’s time to get a hearing exam when the above warning signs begin to add up. You’ll know what’s happening with your ears as soon as you come in for an evaluation.
What are the advantages of hearing testing?
There are lots of reasons why Harper may be late in getting her hearing test.
It might have slipped her mind.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the suggested hearing tests has concrete benefits.
We can establish a baseline for your hearing, which will help determine any future deviations, even if it’s currently healthy. If you can detect your hearing loss before it becomes noticeable, you can better safeguard it.
Discovering hearing problems before they produce permanent hearing loss is the precise reason someone like Harper should get tested regularly. Your ears will stay healthy longer by having these regular screenings. If you let your hearing go, it can have an impact on your overall health.