According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. One of those people is Sofia. She knows to have her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she checks in dutifully for her annual medical examination. But she can’t remember the last time she took a hearing exam or went through any type of accurate hearing evaluation.
Hearing exams are beneficial for a wide variety of reasons, finding first symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most significant one. Sophia will be able to keep her hearing healthy for a lot longer by determining how often to get her ears tested.
How Frequently Should You Have a Hearing Examination?
If the last time Sofia took a hearing examination was ten years ago, we could be alarmed. Or perhaps it doesn’t phase us. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, probably will vary depending on her age. This is because hearing professionals have different suggestions based on age.
- If you are over fifty years old: The universal suggestion is that anyone above the age of fifty should have hearing checks every year. Loss of hearing is more likely to affect your life as you grow older because noise damage begins to add up. There are also several other variables that can affect your hearing.
- At least every three years, it’s suggested that you take a hearing exam. Of course, if you feel you should get your ears examined more often, that’s also fine. But once every three years is the bare minimum. If you are exposed to loud noise regularly or work at a job where noise is typical, you should decide to get screened more frequently. It’s simple and painless and there’s truly no reason not to get it done.
If you want to have hearing screenings or tests more often, there’s certainly no harm in that, at least in terms of your hearing. The sooner you identify any issues, the more quickly you’ll be able to address whatever hearing loss that might have developed since your last hearing test.
Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Checked
Needless to say, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. In some cases, you begin to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s typically a good idea to immediately get in touch with a hearing specialist and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- When you’re in a noisy environment, you have problems hearing conversations.
- Phone interactions are always tough to understand
- Your hearing is muted like there is water in your ears.
- Listening to your favorite music at extremely high volumes.
- It’s common for loss of hearing in the high pitched register to fail first and because consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they generally go first.
- When you’re talking to people, you constantly need to ask people to repeat themselves.
When these warning signs begin to accumulate, it’s a good indication that the ideal time to have a hearing test is right now. You need to know what’s happening with your ears and that means having a hearing test sooner rather than later.
What Are The Benefits of Hearing Testing?
Sophia might be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Denial is a leading choice. Perhaps thinking about it is something she’s simply avoiding. But there are actual benefits to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
And it will be simpler to identify hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing examined by establishing a baseline reading even if it seems as if everything is just fine. If you identify your loss of hearing before it becomes obvious, you can safeguard it better.
That’s why Sophia has to show up for scheduled hearing exams before any permanent injury happens. Early detection by a hearing assessment can help your hearing stay healthy for a long time. Thinking about the effects of hearing loss on your overall health, that’s essential.