It’s hard to comprehend but most people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing exam.
Harper is one of them. She goes to see her doctor for her yearly medical exam and has her teeth cleaned every six months. She even knows to get her timing belt replaced every 6000 miles! But she never remembers to schedule her hearing exam.
There are many reasons to get hearing tests, early detection of hearing loss being one of the more essential. Harper’s ears and hearing will stay as healthy as possible if she determines how frequently to get her hearing tested.
So, just how often should you get a hearing exam?
It’s disconcerting to think that Harper hasn’t taken a hearing test in 10 years. Or maybe it isn’t. Her age will greatly determine our reaction. Depending on age, guidelines will vary.
- If you are over fifty years old: Once a year is the recommended 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. Moreover, as we age we’re more likely to have other health issues that can have an affect on hearing.
- If you are under fifty years old: It’s usually recommended that you undergo a hearing exam about once every three to ten years. Of course, it’s fine to get a hearing assessment more often. But the bare minimum is once every ten years. If you’ve been exposing yourself to loud concert noise or work in an industry with high decibel levels, you should err on the side of caution and get tested more frequently. It’s quick, easy, and painless so why not come in?
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 may want to come in and see us. Perhaps you start to notice some symptoms of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s important to contact us and schedule a hearing assessment.
A few of the signs that should motivate you to have a hearing test include:
- You abruptly can’t hear out of one ear.
- Your ears seem muffled like you had water in them.
- Difficulty hearing conversations in loud environments.
- Turning your television or car stereo up to extremely high volumes.
- Having a very difficult time hearing people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise.
- You’re having a difficult time hearing sounds in higher frequencies like consonants.
- You need people to talk louder or repeat what they said.
It’s a solid hint that it’s time to get a hearing exam when the above warning signs start to add up. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on with your ears.
How will a hearing test help?
Harper may be late having her hearing checked for several reasons.
Maybe she hasn’t thought about it.
Maybe she’s intentionally avoiding thinking about it. But there are concrete advantages to having your hearing tested per guidelines.
We can set up a baseline for your hearing, which will help identify any future deviations, even if it’s presently healthy. If you can catch your hearing loss before it becomes noticeable, you can better safeguard it.
Discovering hearing problems before they produce permanent hearing loss is the exact reason someone like Harper should get tested regularly. Your ears will remain healthy longer by having these regular screenings. Consider the effects of hearing loss on your general health, it’s that important.