It’s hard to comprehend but most individuals have gone over ten years without getting a hearing exam.
One of those people is Harper. She reports to her doctor for her yearly medical exam and gets her teeth cleaned every six months. She even replaces her timing belt every 6000 miles. But she never remembers to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing assessments are important for a wide variety of reasons, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more essential. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she determines how often to get her hearing tested.
So you should get your hearing examined how often?
If the last time Harper took a hearing exam was over a decade ago, that’s disconcerting. Or we may think it’s perfectly normal. Our reaction will vary depending on her age. Depending on age, guidelines will vary.
- For individuals over 50: The general recommendation is that anyone over fifty years old 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 affecting your life. In addition, there may be other health issues that can affect your hearing.
- For people under 50: It’s usually recommended that you get a hearing exam once every three to ten years or so. There’s no harm in having your ears tested more frequently, of course! But the bare minimum is once every decade. If you’ve been subjecting yourself to loud concert noise or work in a field with high decibel levels, you should err on the side of caution and get tested more frequently. It’s quick, easy, and painless so why wouldn’t you?
You should have your hearing assessed if you experience any of these signs.
Naturally, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with us. Signs of hearing loss may begin to crop up. And in those cases, it’s important to get in touch with us and schedule a hearing assessment.
Here are a few indications that you need a hearing test:
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Phone conversations are getting harder to hear.
- The volume on your stereo or television is getting louder and louder.
- You’re having a hard time making out conversations when you’re in a noisy setting.
- Your ears sound muffled like you had water in them.
- Having a difficult 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 sets in.)
- Asking people to slow down or repeat what they said during a conversation.
It’s a strong hint that it’s time to get a hearing test when the above warning signs start to accumulate. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s happening with your ears.
What are the benefits of hearing testing?
There are lots of reasons why Harper might be late in getting her hearing checked.
Maybe she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she’s purposely avoiding thinking about it. But there are tangible advantages to having your hearing examined per guidelines.
We can establish a baseline for your hearing, which will help identify any future deviations, even if it’s presently healthy. If you can detect your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you can better safeguard it.
Detecting hearing problems before they produce permanent hearing loss is the exact reason someone like Harper should get tested regularly. Catching your hearing loss early by getting your hearing tested when you should will help you keep your ears healthier, longer. Consider the impact of hearing loss on your overall health, it’s that important.