According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of those people. She knows to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her annual medical exam. But she hasn’t had a hearing examination in a long time.
Hearing exams are important for a wide range of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s often hard for you to discover the earliest signs of hearing loss without one. Knowing how frequently she should get a hearing exam will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing Get Tested?
We may be alarmed if Sophia hadn’t had a hearing test in ten years. Or we may think it’s perfectly normal. Our reaction, and the reaction of her hearing specialist, likely will vary depending on how old she is. That’s because hearing professionals have different recommendations based on age.
- If you’re over fifty years old: But if you’re over fifty, the suggestion is, you have a hearing test annually. Loss of hearing is more likely to impact your life as you age because noise damage starts to add up. There are also numerous other variables that can impact your hearing.
- It’s normally suggested that you undergo a hearing test every three years or so. Obviously, if you think you should have your hearing checked more often, there is no harm. The minimum is every three years. You should absolutely get tested more often if you spend a lot of time in a loud environment. It’s straight forward and painless and there’s truly no reason not to do it.
As far as your hearing is concerned, more often is certainly better. Since you last had a hearing exam, you may have new damage you should know about, so regular hearing tests may be practical.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
Of course, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good occasion to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. As an example, if you recognize signs of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s usually a good idea to immediately contact a hearing professional and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- Listening to your favorite tunes at excessively high volumes.
- Sounds seem muffled; it’s starting to sound as if you constantly have water in your ears.
- Having a tough time making out consonants (generally speaking, 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)
- Phone interactions are always difficult to understand
- When you’re in a loud situation, you have trouble hearing conversations.
- When you’re speaking with people, you repeatedly have to keep asking people to repeat themselves.
When these warning signs begin to accumulate, it’s a strong sign that the ideal time to get a hearing exam is right now. The more frequently you have your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s happening with your hearing.
What Are The Benefits of Hearing Testing?
Sophia might be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Perhaps she hasn’t thought about it. Possibly she’s just avoiding dealing with it. But there are tangible benefits to having your hearing examined per recommendations.
And it will be easier to detect hearing deviations in the future if you get your hearing examined by forming a baseline reading even if it seems like everything is just fine. If you identify your loss of hearing before it becomes obvious, you’ll be able to safeguard it better.
That’s why Sophia needs to go to her regular hearing exams before any permanent damage happens. Early diagnosis by a hearing test can help your hearing stay healthy for a long time. Considering the impact of hearing loss on your total health, that’s important.
