Surprisingly, it’s been over 10 years since most individuals have had a hearing assessment.
Harper is one of them. She reports to her doctor for her annual medical exam and gets her teeth cleaned every six months. She even replaces her timing belt every 6000 miles. But her hearing exam normally gets ignored.
There are a number of reasons to get hearing exams, the most prominent of which is that it’s usually difficult for you to detect the earliest symptoms of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she determines how frequently to get her hearing checked.
So you should get your hearing examined how often?
If the last time Harper took a hearing test was over ten years ago, that’s disconcerting. Or we may think it’s completely normal. Our reaction will differ depending on her age. That’s because we have different recommendations based on age.
- If you are over fifty years old: Once annually is the suggested routine for hearing tests in individuals over 50 years old. Hearing loss is more likely to have an impact 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.
- For individuals under 50: It’s usually recommended that you have a hearing test once every three to ten years or so. Obviously, it’s fine to get a hearing exam more frequently. But the bare minimum is once every decade. If you’ve been exposing 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. After all, it’s painless, easy, and there’s really no good reason not to do it.
Indications you should get your hearing checked
Obviously, there are other occasions, besides the yearly exam, that you might want to come in and see us. Maybe you begin to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And when they do you need to schedule an appointment with us for a hearing assessment.
Here are some clues that you need a hearing exam:
- Phone conversations are becoming more difficult to hear.
- You abruptly can’t hear out of one ear.
- The volume on your stereo or TV is getting louder and louder.
- Asking people to slow down or repeat what they said during a conversation.
- You’re having a difficult time hearing sounds in higher frequencies like consonants.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments.
- Your ears sound muffled as if you had water in them.
When the previously mentioned warning signs begin to add up, it’s a good sign that the ideal time to get a hearing exam is right now. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
What are the benefits of hearing testing?
Harper may be late getting her hearing checked for several reasons.
It may have slipped her mind.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the suggested hearing tests has tangible benefits.
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.
The reason for regular hearing tests is that someone like Harper will be able to identify issues before her hearing is permanently damaged. Your ears will stay healthy longer by having these regular screenings. Consider the effects of hearing loss on your overall health, it’s that important.