According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of them. She knows she has to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she has a checkup with the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her yearly medical examination. But she can’t remember the last time she took a hearing exam or underwent any type of accurate hearing assessment.

There are many reasons why it’s essential to get hearing assessments, the most prominent of which is that it’s often hard for you to notice the first signs of hearing loss without one. Sophia can keep her hearing healthy for a much longer period of time by recognizing how often to get her hearing checked.

How Frequently Do You Need to Get a Hearing Assessment?

If the last time Sofia took a hearing examination was ten years ago, we could be concerned. Or perhaps it doesn’t phase us. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, probably will vary depending on how old she is. That’s because hearing specialists have different recommendations based on age.

• If you’re older than fifty: The universal suggestion is that anybody older than fifty should get hearing checks annually. As you get older, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can start to speed up, which means loss of hearing is more likely to begin impacting your life. Plus, there are other health concerns that can impact your hearing.
• It’s generally recommended that you undergo a hearing assessment around every three years. There’s no problem having your ears checked more frequently, of course! The minimum is every three years. You should certainly get tested more frequently if you are frequently in a loud environment. It’s straight forward and painless and there’s really no reason not to get it done.

If you would like to have hearing screenings or tests more frequently, there’s obviously no harm in that, at least in terms of your hearing. The sooner you detect any issues, the more quickly you’ll be able to address whatever loss of hearing that might have developed since your last hearing test.

You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs

Of course, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist. Sometimes, you begin to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s usually a good idea to immediately contact a hearing specialist and schedule a hearing test.

Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:

• It’s normal for loss of hearing in the high pitched register to fail first and because consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they commonly fail first.
• Cranking your music to excessively high volumes (if your neighbors start complaining, that’s a good indication you should see a hearing specialist soon).
• When you’re speaking with people, you repeatedly need to keep asking people to repeat themselves.
• Phone interactions are always hard to understand
• Sounds seem muffled; it’s starting to sound as if you constantly have water in your ears.
• Problems hearing conversations in loud surroundings.

A good indicator that right now is the best time to get a hearing test is when the warning signs start to add up. The more frequently you get your hearing examined, the more frequently you’ll know what’s happening with your ears.

What Are The Benefits of Hearing Testing?

Sophia might be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Denial is a top choice. Maybe thinking about it is something she’s simply avoiding. But getting your hearing tested on the recommended schedule has tangible benefits.

And it will be simpler 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 safeguard your hearing better if you catch it before it becomes an issue.

The reason for regular hearing assessment is that someone like Sofia will be in a position to identify issues before her hearing is diminished permanently. By catching your hearing loss early, by getting your hearing tested when you’re supposed to, you’ll be giving your ears their best chance of staying healthy. It’s important to think about how hearing loss will affect your general state of health.