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 have her oil changed every 3000 miles, she has a checkup with the dentist every six months, and she reports punctually for her yearly medical exam. But she has no idea the last time she had a hearing exam or underwent any kind of accurate hearing assessment.
Hearing evaluations are essential for a wide variety of reasons, the most prominent of which is that it’s often difficult for you to discover the initial signs of hearing loss without one. Knowing how often she should get a hearing test will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as she can for as long as possible.
How Often Each Year Should my Ears Get Checked?
If the last time Sofia took a hearing exam was ten years ago, we might be alarmed. Or perhaps it doesn’t phase us. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, likely will vary depending on her age. This is because hearing specialists have different guidelines based on age.
- If you’re older than fifty: The universal recommendation is that anyone over the age of fifty should get hearing checks every year. Hearing loss is more likely to impact your life as you grow older because noise damage begins to add up. Also, there are other health concerns that can affect your hearing.
- At least every three years, it’s suggested that you have a hearing test. There’s no problem having your ears checked more frequently, of course! But once every three years is the bare minimum. You should certainly get examined more frequently if you spend a lot of time in a loud setting. There’s no reason not to get it done, it’s painless and easy.
If you would like to have hearing screenings or tests more frequently, there’s certainly no harm in that, at least when it involves your hearing. The sooner you identify any issues, the more quickly you’ll be capable of addressing whatever hearing loss that may have developed since your last hearing test.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
Needless to say, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good occasion to make an appointment with a hearing professional. Occasionally, you begin to notice some signs of hearing loss. And in those instances, 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:
- 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 generally the first to go as hearing loss takes hold)
- Turning your music to excessively high volumes (if your neighbors start complaining, that’s a good indication you need to see a hearing specialist soon).
- Constantly asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Having a very hard time comprehending people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise
- Sounds seem muffled; it starts to sound as if you always have water in your ears.
- When you’re in a loud environment, you have problems hearing conversations.
When these warning signs begin to add up, it’s a good indication that the appropriate time to have a hearing exam is right now. You need to recognize what’s happening with your ears and that means having a hearing test sooner rather than later.
Hearing Tests, What Are The Advantages?
There are plenty of reasons why Sofia may be late in getting her hearing test. Denial is a top choice. Maybe she’s just avoiding dealing with it. But there are concrete benefits to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
And it will be easier to diagnose hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing examined by forming a baseline reading even if it seems like everything is normal. If you identify your loss of hearing before it becomes noticeable, you’ll be able to protect it better.
That’s exactly why Sophia has to show up for regular hearing appointments before any permanent injury happens. By catching your hearing loss early, by having your hearing checked when you should, you’ll be giving your ears their best chance of staying healthy. It’s essential to understand how hearing loss will impact your general health.