Surprisingly, it’s been over 10 years since most individuals have had a hearing test.
One of those people is Harper. She goes to see her doctor for her yearly medical test and gets her teeth cleaned every six months. She even knows to get her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But her hearing test normally gets ignored.
Hearing evaluations are important for a multitude of reasons, early detection of hearing loss being one of the most important. 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 tested how often?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t taken a hearing test in 10 years. Or maybe it isn’t. Our reaction will differ depending on her age. Depending on age, recommendations will vary.
- If you are over fifty years of age: Once a year is the recommended schedule for hearing tests in people over 50 years old. As you age, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can begin to accelerate, which means hearing loss is more likely to start affecting your life. Moreover, as we get older we’re more likely to have other health conditions that can have an impact on hearing.
- If you are under fifty years old: It’s usually recommended that you undergo a hearing test once every three to ten years or so. There’s no harm in getting your ears tested more often, of course! But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should be cautious and get checked more often if you work in a job that tends to be noisy or if you go to a lot of concerts. It’s fast, simple, and painless so why not come in?
You should get your hearing tested if you experience any of these signs.
Needless to say, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing assessment isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with us. Signs of hearing loss may start to crop up. And when they do you should make an appointment with us for a hearing assessment.
Here are a few indications that you need a hearing exam:
- You’re having a difficult time hearing conversations when you’re in a loud setting.
- 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.)
- Sounds become muffled; it starts to sound as though you always have water inside of your ears.
- Having a really hard time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- You need people to speak louder or repeat themselves.
- You suddenly can’t hear out of one ear.
- Cranking your tv or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
When the above warning signs start to add up, it’s a good indication that the perfect time to get a hearing exam is right now. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
How will a hearing test help?
Harper could be late having her hearing test for a number of reasons.
Perhaps she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she’s intentionally avoiding thinking about it. But there are tangible advantages to getting your hearing examined per recommendations.
Even if you believe your hearing is totally healthy, a hearing exam will help set a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to detect. If you can detect your hearing loss before it becomes noticeable, you can better protect it.
The reason for regular hearing tests is that someone like Harper will be able to detect issues before her hearing is permanently damaged. Your ears will remain healthy longer by getting these regular screenings. If you allow your hearing to go, it can have an impact on your general health.
