Believe it or not, it’s been more than 10 years since most people have had a hearing test.
Harper is one of them. 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 changed every 6000 miles! But her hearing exam normally gets ignored.
There are lots of reasons to get hearing exams, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more significant. Determining how often she should get their hearing tested will help Harper keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
So you should get your hearing tested how often?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t had a hearing exam in 10 years. Or perhaps it isn’t. Her age will largely determine our reaction. Depending on age, guidelines will differ.
- For people over 50: The general recommendation is that anybody over the age of fifty should schedule annual hearing exams Hearing loss is more likely to have an impact on your life as you get older because the noise damage that has built-up over a lifetime will accelerate that impairment. Plus, there may be other health problems that can affect your hearing.
- If you are less than fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is suggested for hearing exams. Naturally, it’s ok to get a hearing test more frequently. But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should be cautious and get checked more often if you work in an occupation that tends to be loud or if you go to a lot of concerts. It’s fast, simple, and painless so why wouldn’t you?
You should get your hearing checked if you notice any of these signs.
Needless to say, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing assessment isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with us. Perhaps you start to experience some signs of hearing loss. And in those instances, it’s important to reach out to us and schedule a hearing assessment.
Some of the clues that should prompt you to have a hearing exam include:
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Cranking your tv or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
- Asking people to talk slower or repeat what they said during a conversation.
- Your ears sound muffled as if you had water in them.
- Having a very hard time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments.
- 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 often the first to go as hearing loss sets in.)
It’s a strong hint that it’s time to get a hearing exam when the above warning signs start to add up. You’ll know what’s happening with your ears as soon as you come in for an evaluation.
What are the benefits of hearing testing?
There are plenty of reasons why Harper may be late in getting her hearing test.
It might have slipped her mind.
It’s possible that she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the recommended hearing tests has concrete benefits.
Even if you think your hearing is completely healthy, a hearing test will help establish a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future easier to detect. You’ll be in a better position to protect your hearing if you detect any early hearing loss before it becomes obvious.
Discovering hearing problems before they produce permanent hearing loss is the exact reason somebody like Harper should get tested regularly. Detecting your hearing loss early by having your hearing tested when you should will help you keep your ears healthier, longer. If you allow your hearing to go, it can have an affect on your general health.