It’s hard to comprehend but most individuals have gone over ten years without having a hearing test.
One of those people is Harper. She schedules a cleaning and checkup with her dentist every six months and she reports dutifully for her annual medical exam. She even gets her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But she always forgets to schedule her hearing exam.
There are many reasons to get hearing assessments, early detection of hearing loss being one of the most significant. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she determines how frequently to get her hearing checked.
So you should get your hearing examined how often?
If the last time Harper had a hearing exam was over ten years ago, that’s alarming. Or we might think it’s perfectly normal. Our reaction will differ depending on her age. Depending on age, guidelines will differ.
- If you are over fifty years old: The general recommendation is that anyone above the age of fifty should schedule yearly hearing evaluations. As you age, the noise damage you’ve sustained over a lifetime can begin to speed up, which means hearing loss is more likely to start affecting your life. Plus, there could be other health problems that can impact your hearing.
- For people under 50: It’s usually recommended that you take a hearing test once every three to ten years or so. There’s no harm in getting your ears checked more frequently, of course! But the bare minimum is once every decade. And you should play it safe and get checked more often 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, easy, and there’s really no practical reason not to do it.
You need to have your hearing checked if you experience any of these signs.
Obviously, there are other times, besides the yearly exam, that you might want to come in and see us. Maybe you begin to notice some signs of hearing loss. And when they do you should make an appointment with us for a hearing exam.
Here are a few clues that you need a hearing test:
- Trouble hearing conversations in loud environments.
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Having a difficult 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 sets in.)
- The volume on your stereo or TV is getting louder and louder.
- Having a really difficult time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- Sounds get muffled; it begins to sound as if you always have water in your ears.
- Asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
When the above warning signs start to add up, it’s a good sign that the ideal time to get a hearing test is right now. You’ll know what’s going on with your ears as soon as you come in for an evaluation.
What are the benefits of hearing testing?
There are lots of reasons why Harper may be late in getting her hearing test.
It might have slipped her mind.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But there are tangible advantages to having your hearing tested per guidelines.
We can establish a baseline for your hearing, which will help determine any future deviations, even if it’s presently healthy. If you can detect your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you can better protect it.
Detecting 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 hearing healthier, longer. If you let your hearing go, it can have an impact on your general health.