Surprisingly, it’s been more than 10 years since most people have had a hearing test.
One of those individuals is Harper. She goes to see her doctor for her yearly medical test and gets 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.
There are a number of reasons to get hearing exams, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more important. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she knows how often to get her hearing checked.
So you should get your hearing examined how often?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t taken a hearing exam in 10 years. Or perhaps it isn’t. Our reaction will differ depending on how old she is. Depending on age, recommendations will vary.
- For people over 50: The general recommendation is that anyone above fifty years old should make an appointment for annual hearing assessments Hearing loss is more likely to have an affect on your life as you age because the noise damage that has built-up over a lifetime will speed up that impairment. Moreover, as we get older we’re more likely to have other health conditions that can have an affect on hearing.
- If you are less than fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is suggested for hearing exams. Of course, it’s ok to get a hearing assessment more often. But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should play it safe and get tested more frequently if you work in a job that tends to be noisy or if you go to a lot of concerts. After all, it’s painless, easy, and there’s really no practical reason not to do it.
Indications you need to get your hearing checked
Undoubtedly, there are other occasions, besides the yearly exam, that you may want to come in and see us. Symptoms of hearing loss may begin to surface. And in those cases, it’s important to get in touch with us and schedule a hearing exam.
Some of the signs that should motivate you to get a hearing exam include:
- Turning your tv or car stereo up to excessively high volumes.
- Asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Phone conversations are becoming harder to hear.
- Your ears sound muffled like you had water in them.
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- 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 often the first to go as hearing loss takes hold.)
- You’re having a tough time making out conversations when you’re in a noisy setting.
It’s a strong hint that it’s time to get a hearing test when the above warning signs begin to add up. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
How will a hearing test be beneficial?
There are lots of reasons why Harper might be late in getting her hearing checked.
It might have slipped her mind.
Maybe she’s intentionally avoiding thinking about it. But getting the suggested hearing tests has tangible benefits.
We can set up a baseline for your hearing, which will help determine any future deviations, even if it’s currently healthy. If you can catch your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you can better protect it.
The point of regular hearing tests is that someone like Harper will be able to detect issues before her hearing is permanently diminished. Catching your hearing loss early by getting your hearing checked when you should will help you keep your ears healthier, longer. If you let your hearing go, it can have an impact on your general health.