Believe it or not, it’s been more than 10 years since most individuals have had a hearing exam.
Harper is one of them. She goes to see her doctor for her annual medical test and gets her teeth cleaned every six months. She even changes her timing belt every 6000 miles. But her hearing exam usually gets neglected.
There are lots of reasons to get hearing assessments, early detection of hearing loss being one of the most important. Determining how frequently she should get a hearing test will help Harper keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
So you should get your hearing examined how often?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t had a hearing test in 10 years. Or maybe it isn’t. Our reaction will differ depending on how old she is. Depending on age, guidelines will vary.
- If you are over fifty years of age: Once a year is the suggested routine for hearing assessments in people over 50 years old. 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 accelerate that impairment. Moreover, as we age we’re more likely to be dealing with other health issues that can have an affect on hearing.
- If you are less than fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is recommended for hearing assessments. There’s no harm in having your ears tested more often, of course! But once every decade is the bare minimum. And you should play it safe and get checked more frequently if you work in an occupation that tends to be noisy or if you go to a lot of concerts. After all, it’s painless, simple, and there’s really no good reason not to do it.
Signs you need to have your hearing checked
Obviously, there are other occasions, besides the annual exam, that you may want to come in and see us. Maybe you start to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And when they do you need to schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
Here are a few clues that you need a hearing exam:
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Turning your tv or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy environments.
- Sounds get muffled; it starts to sound as though you always have water in your ears.
- Asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Having a very tough time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- You’re having a difficult time hearing sounds in higher frequencies such as consonants.
It’s a solid hint that it’s time to get a hearing test when the above warning signs start to accumulate. The sooner you get your hearing tested, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
What are the advantages of hearing testing?
Harper may be late getting her hearing test for several reasons.
It may have slipped her mind.
Maybe she’s deliberately avoiding thinking about it. But there are concrete advantages to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
Even if you believe your hearing is perfectly healthy, a hearing test will help set a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to identify. You’ll be in a better position to protect your hearing if you detect any early hearing loss before it becomes obvious.
The reason for regular hearing tests is that someone like Harper will be able to detect problems before her hearing is permanently diminished. Your ears will stay healthy longer by getting these regular screenings. If you allow your hearing to go, it can have an affect on your overall health.
