Surprisingly, it’s been over 10 years since most people have had a hearing exam.
Harper is one of them. She reports to her doctor for her annual medical test and gets her teeth cleaned every six months. She even gets her timing belt changed every 6000 miles! But her hearing exam normally gets ignored.
Hearing assessments are essential for a wide variety of reasons, the most prominent of which is that it’s normally challenging for you to detect the earliest signs of hearing loss without one. Harper’s ears and hearing will remain as healthy as possible if she knows how frequently to get her hearing tested.
So, just how frequently should you get a hearing exam?
It’s alarming to think that Harper hasn’t had a hearing exam in 10 years. Or we might think it’s perfectly normal. Our reaction will vary depending on her age. That’s because we have different recommendations based on age.
- For people over 50: The general suggestion is that anybody over fifty years old should make an appointment for yearly 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 speed up that impairment. Moreover, as we get older we’re more likely to be dealing with other health issues that can have an impact on hearing.
- If you are under fifty years old: Once every 3 to 10 years is suggested for hearing tests. There’s no harm in having your ears tested more frequently, of course! But once every ten years is the bare minimum. And you should play it safe and get checked more often if you work in a job that tends to be loud 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 should have your hearing tested
Needless to say, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good time to schedule an appointment with us. Symptoms of hearing loss may begin to crop up. And when they do you should make an appointment with us for a hearing test.
Here are a few indications that you need a hearing test:
- Your ears sound muffled like you had water in them.
- Having a tough 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 takes hold.)
- Rapid hearing loss in one ear.
- Cranking your television or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
- Phone conversations are becoming harder to hear.
- Asking people to talk slower or repeat what they said during a conversation.
- Trouble hearing conversations in noisy environments.
When the previously mentioned warning signs start to add up, it’s a good sign that the perfect time to get a hearing exam is right now. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
What are the advantages of hearing testing?
There are lots of reasons why Harper might be late in having her hearing test.
It may have slipped her mind.
Maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with it. But getting the recommended hearing tests has concrete benefits.
We can set up a baseline for your hearing, which will help identify any future deviations, even if it’s currently healthy. You’ll be in a better position to protect your hearing if you detect any early hearing loss before it becomes noticeable.
Detecting hearing issues before they produce permanent hearing loss is the precise reason somebody like Harper should get tested regularly. Catching your hearing loss early by having your hearing checked when you should will help you keep your ears healthier, longer. Consider the impact of hearing loss on your general health, it’s that important.
