Surprisingly, it’s been more than 10 years since most people have had a hearing assessment.
Harper is one of them. She goes to see her doctor for her yearly medical test and has her teeth cleaned every six months. She even changes her timing belt every 6000 miles. But she always forgets to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing evaluations are important for a multitude of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s often challenging for you to discover the earliest signs of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she knows how often to get her hearing tested.
So you should have your hearing tested how often?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t had a hearing exam in 10 years. Or we might think it’s perfectly normal. Her age will greatly determine our reaction. That’s because we have different recommendations based on age.
- If you are over fifty years of age: The general suggestion is that anyone above fifty years old should schedule yearly hearing assessments Hearing loss is more likely to have an affect on your life as you get older because the noise damage that has built-up over a lifetime will speed up that impairment. 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 ok to get a hearing exam more often. But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should play it safe and get checked more often if you work in an occupation that tends to be loud or if you go to a lot of concerts. After all, it’s painless, simple, and there’s really no practical reason not to do it.
Indications you need to get your hearing checked
Undoubtedly, there are other times, besides the yearly exam, that you may want to come in and see us. Maybe you start to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s important to get in touch with us and schedule a hearing exam.
A few of the signs that should motivate you to have a hearing test include:
- The volume on your stereo or TV is getting louder and louder.
- Having a tough 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.)
- Having a really tough time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- Your ears seem muffled like you had water in them.
- You need people to talk louder or repeat what they said.
- You abruptly can’t hear out of one ear.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in loud environments.
When the above warning signs start to add up, it’s a good sign that the ideal time to get a hearing test 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 be beneficial?
Harper could be late getting her hearing checked for a number of reasons.
Maybe she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But there are tangible advantages to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
We can establish a baseline for your hearing, which will help determine any future deviations, even if it’s currently healthy. You’ll be in a better position to protect your hearing if you detect any early hearing loss before it becomes noticeable.
The point of regular hearing tests is that someone like Harper will be able to identify issues before her hearing is permanently diminished. Your ears will stay healthy longer by getting these regular screenings. Consider the impact of hearing loss on your overall health, it’s that important.