Surprisingly, it’s been more than 10 years since most individuals have had a hearing assessment.
Harper is one of them. She schedules a checkup and cleaning with her dentist every six months and she reports dutifully for her annual medical test. She even knows to get her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But she always forgets to schedule her hearing exam.
There are a number of reasons to get hearing assessments, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more essential. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she knows how often to get her hearing checked.
So, just how often should you have a hearing assessment?
If the last time Harper took a hearing test was over a decade ago, that’s disconcerting. Or we may think it’s completely normal. How old she is will largely determine our reaction. That’s because we have different guidelines based on age.
- If you are over fifty years of age: Once annually is the suggested routine for hearing assessments in individuals over fifty. As you get older, the noise damage you’ve sustained over a lifetime can begin to accelerate, which means hearing loss is more likely to start impacting your life. Plus, there could be other health issues that can affect your hearing.
- If you are less than fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is recommended for hearing exams. Obviously, it’s fine to get a hearing assessment more frequently. But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should play it safe and get checked more frequently if you work in a job 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.
You should get 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 schedule an appointment with us. Maybe you start to experience some symptoms of hearing loss. And when they do you should schedule an appointment with us for a hearing test.
Some of the signs that should motivate you to get a hearing test include:
- Sudden hearing loss in one ear.
- You need people to speak louder or repeat what they said.
- Having a really hard time understanding people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- 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.)
- Sounds become muffled; it starts to sound as though you always have water inside of your ears.
- You’re having a tough time hearing conversations when you’re in a noisy setting.
- Turning your television or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
When the above warning signs start to add up, it’s a good sign that the perfect time to get a hearing exam is right now. You’ll know what’s going on with your ears as soon as you come in for an evaluation.
How will a hearing test be beneficial?
There are plenty of reasons why Harper might be late in having her hearing test.
It might have slipped her mind.
Maybe she’s intentionally avoiding thinking about it. But there are concrete benefits to getting your hearing examined per guidelines.
We can set up a baseline for your hearing, which will help determine any future deviations, even if it’s presently healthy. You’ll be in a better position to safeguard your hearing if you recognize any early hearing loss before it becomes noticeable.
Detecting hearing problems before they create permanent hearing loss is the precise reason someone like Harper should get tested regularly. Recognizing your hearing loss early by getting your hearing tested when you should will help you keep your hearing healthier, longer. If you allow your hearing to go, it can have an affect on your overall health.
