It’s hard to comprehend but most people have gone more than ten years without having a hearing exam.
One of those people is Harper. She goes to see her doctor for her yearly medical test and has her teeth cleaned every six months. She even knows to get her timing belt replaced every 6000 miles! But she always forgets to schedule her hearing exam.
Hearing tests are important for a multitude of reasons, the most notable of which is that it’s normally difficult for you to discover the earliest symptoms of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she knows 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. Her age will greatly determine our reaction. That’s because we have different guidelines based on age.
- If you are over fifty years old: The general recommendation is that anybody over fifty years old should schedule annual hearing tests Hearing loss is more likely to have an affect on your life as you get older because the noise damage that has accumulated over a lifetime will speed up that impairment. In addition, there might be other health issues that can impact your hearing.
- For people under 50: It’s usually recommended that you take a hearing test about once every three to ten years. Of course, it’s fine to get a hearing assessment more often. But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should play it safe and get tested more often if you work in a job that tends to be loud or if you go to a lot of concerts. It’s fast, easy, and painless so why wouldn’t you?
You need to have your hearing tested if you experience any of these signs.
Of course, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with us. Perhaps you begin to experience some signs of hearing loss. And when they do you need to schedule an appointment with us for a hearing assessment.
Here are a few indications that you need a hearing exam:
- Asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Having a hard time hearing consonants (in general, consonants are spoken in a higher wavelength than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are frequently the first to go as hearing loss takes hold.)
- You’re having a difficult time making out conversations when you’re in a loud setting.
- Cranking your television or car stereo up to excessively high volumes.
- Your ears sound muffled like you had water in them.
- You abruptly can’t hear out of one ear.
- Phone conversations are getting harder to hear.
It’s a solid hint that it’s time to get a hearing exam when the above warning signs begin to add up. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s happening with your ears.
What are the advantages of hearing testing?
Harper could be late getting her hearing checked for several reasons.
Perhaps she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the recommended hearing tests has tangible benefits.
Even if you think your hearing is totally healthy, a hearing test will help establish a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to detect. If you can catch your hearing loss before it becomes noticeable, you can better safeguard it.
Discovering hearing problems before they cause permanent hearing loss is the precise reason somebody like Harper should get tested regularly. Your ears will remain healthy longer by getting these regular screenings. Think about the effects of hearing loss on your overall health, it’s that important.