According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of them. She knows to have her oil changed every 3000 miles, she has a checkup with the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her yearly medical exam. But she hasn’t had a hearing examination in a long time.
Hearing assessments are essential for a wide range of reasons, finding early symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most essential one. Knowing how regularly she should get a hearing examination will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as she can for as long as possible.
How Often Each Year Should my Hearing Get Checked?
We may be alarmed if Sophia hadn’t had a hearing exam in ten years. Or we may think it’s completely normal. Depending on how old Sophia is, reactions might vary. This is because hearing professionals have different suggestions based on age.
- If you’re older than fifty: But if you’re over fifty, the recommendation is, you get a hearing exam yearly. Loss of hearing is more likely to affect your life as you age because noise damage begins to add up. There are also several other factors that can affect your hearing.
- It’s generally recommended that you have a hearing assessment around every three years. Obviously, if you think you should get your ears tested more often, there is no harm. The very least is every three years. You should certainly get evaluated more frequently if you are frequently in a noisy setting. There’s no reason not to do it, it’s painless and easy.
As far as your hearing is concerned, more often is definitely better. Since you last had a hearing test, you may have new injury you should know about, so regular hearing exams may be helpful.
You Should Get Your Hearing Checked if You Notice These Signs
There are definitely other times besides your annual hearing exam that you might want to schedule an appointment with your hearing professional. As an example, if you notice symptoms of hearing loss. And in those circumstances, it’s usually a good idea to immediately contact a hearing professional and schedule a hearing test.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- Continually asking people to repeat themselves or slow down during a conversation.
- Your hearing is dull like there is water in your ears.
- Cranking your music to excessively high volumes (if your neighbors begin to complain, that’s a good indication you should see a hearing specialist right away).
- It’s normal for hearing loss in the high pitched register to go first and since consonants are in a higher pitched register than vowels, they generally go first.
- Having a very difficult time understanding people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise
- Problems hearing discussions in loud situations.
A good indicator that right now is the best time to have a hearing test is when the warning signs start to add up. You need to recognize what’s happening with your hearing and that means having a hearing test sooner rather than later.
What Are The Advantages of Hearing Testing?
There are plenty of excuses why Sofia may be late in having her hearing exam. Denial is a top choice. Perhaps she’s just avoiding thinking about it. But there are concrete benefits to getting your hearing tested per recommendations.
Even when your hearing is completely healthy, a hearing exam can help create a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future simpler to detect. If you detect your hearing loss before it becomes obvious, you’ll be able to protect it better.
That’s why Sophia has to show up for regular hearing appointments before any permanent damage happens. Early diagnosis by a hearing test can help your hearing stay healthy for a long time. Thinking about the effects of hearing loss on your overall health, that’s important.