Believe it or not, it’s been over 10 years since most people have had a hearing exam.
One of those individuals is Harper. She reports to her doctor for her yearly medical exam and has her teeth cleaned every six months. She even gets her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But she never remembers to schedule her hearing test.
Hearing tests are essential for a variety of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s often difficult for you to discover the earliest indications of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay 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 disconcerting to think that Harper hasn’t had a hearing test in 10 years. Or we may think it’s perfectly normal. How old she is will largely determine our reaction. Depending on age, guidelines will vary.
- For people over 50: The general recommendation is that anyone above the age of fifty should schedule annual hearing tests As you get older, the noise damage you’ve sustained over a lifetime can begin to accelerate, which means hearing loss is more likely to start impacting your life. In addition, there could be other health concerns that can impact your hearing.
- If you are less than fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is suggested for hearing assessments. Obviously, it’s fine to get a hearing assessment more frequently. But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should be cautious and get tested more often if you work in a job that tends to be loud or if you go to a lot of concerts. After all, it’s painless, easy, and there’s really no good reason not to do it.
Signs you should have your hearing tested
Naturally, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with us. Signs of hearing loss may start to surface. And when they do you should make an appointment with us for a hearing test.
Some of the signs that should motivate you to get a hearing exam include:
- You need people to talk louder or repeat what they said.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in loud environments.
- The volume on your stereo or television is getting louder and louder.
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- You’re having a tough time hearing sounds in higher frequencies like consonants.
- Phone conversations are getting more difficult to hear.
- Sounds become muffled; it begins to sound as though you always have water in your ears.
When the above warning signs begin to add up, it’s a good sign that the perfect time to get a hearing exam is right now. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
How will a hearing test help?
There are lots of reasons why Harper may be late in getting her hearing test.
It may have slipped her mind.
Maybe she’s intentionally avoiding thinking about it. But there are tangible benefits to having your hearing tested per recommendations.
Even if you believe your hearing is completely healthy, a hearing test will help establish a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to detect. You’ll be in a better position to safeguard your hearing if you recognize any early hearing loss before it becomes noticeable.
The reason for regular hearing tests is that somebody like Harper will be able to detect issues before her hearing is permanently diminished. Your ears will remain healthy longer by having these regular screenings. If you allow your hearing to go, it can have an affect on your general health.