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 to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she reports dutifully for her annual medical examination. But she can’t remember the last time she had a hearing test or underwent any kind of accurate hearing evaluation.
There are lots of reasons why it’s beneficial to have hearing evaluations, finding initial symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most essential one. Sophia will be able to keep her hearing healthy for a much longer period of time by recognizing how frequently to have her hearing tested.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing be Tested?
If the last time Sofia had a hearing test was a decade ago, we could be concerned. Or we may think it’s completely normal. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, likely will vary depending on how old she is. This is because hearing professionals have different recommendations based on age.
- If you are older than fifty: The universal recommendation is that anyone above the age of fifty should get hearing checks annually. As you age, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can start to accelerate, meaning hearing loss is more likely to start impacting your life. Plus, there are other health concerns that can affect your hearing.
- It’s usually suggested that you take a hearing exam about every three years. Of course, if you think you should get your ears checked more frequently, that’s also fine. The bare minimum is every three years. If you are exposed to loud noise repeatedly or work at a job where noise is common, you should decide to get checked more often. There’s no reason not to do it, it’s painless and easy.
When it comes to your hearing, more often is certainly better. The sooner you detect any issues, the sooner you’ll be able to address whatever hearing loss that might have developed since your last hearing exam.
Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Checked
There are certainly other occasions besides your annual hearing exam that you may want to schedule an appointment with your hearing professional. Occasionally, you start to notice some signs of hearing loss. And in those circumstances, it’s often a good idea to immediately get in touch with a hearing professional and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- When you’re speaking with people, you constantly need to ask people to repeat themselves.
- Trouble hearing discussions in loud situations.
- Cranking your television or car stereo to excessively high volumes (if your neighbors begin to complain, that’s a good indication you should see a hearing specialist right away).
- Your hearing is dull like there is water in your ears.
- Phone interactions are always tough to hear.
- Having a hard time hearing consonants (generally, consonants are spoken in a higher pitch than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are generally the first to go as hearing loss sets in)
A strong indicator that right now is the best time to get a hearing test is when the warning signs begin to add up. The more frequently you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
Hearing Tests, What Are The Advantages?
Sophia might be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Denial is a leading choice. Possibly thinking about it is something she’s just avoiding. But getting your hearing examined on the recommended schedule has concrete benefits.
And it will be easier to identify hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing checked by establishing a baseline reading even if it seems as if everything is normal. You can protect your hearing better if you catch it before it becomes problematic.
The reason for regular hearing assessment is that somebody like Sofia will be in a position to identify concerns before her hearing is permanently diminished. By catching your hearing loss early, by having your hearing tested when you’re supposed to, you’ll be keeping your ears healthier longer. Thinking about the impact of hearing loss on your general health, that’s essential.
