According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. One of those people is Sofia. She knows she has to get her oil changed every 3000 miles, she sees the dentist every six months, and she checks in punctually for her yearly medical examination. But she hasn’t had a hearing examination in quite some time.
There are many reasons why it’s essential to get hearing assessments, detecting early symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most essential one. Sophia can keep her hearing healthy for a lot longer by knowing how frequently to have her ears tested.
How Often Do You Need to Get a Hearing Assessment?
If the last time Sofia had a hearing exam was a decade ago, we could be worried. Or perhaps we don’t think anything of it. Depending on Sophia’s age, reactions may vary. This is because hearing specialists have different suggestions based on age.
- If you are older than fifty: But if you’re above the age of fifty, the suggestion is, you have a hearing exam yearly. As you age, the noise damage you’ve suffered over a lifetime can begin to accelerate, meaning loss of hearing is more likely to start affecting your life. There are also numerous other factors that can affect your hearing.
- At least every three years, it’s recommended that you take a hearing exam. Of course, if you feel you should get your ears checked more often, there is no harm. The minimum is every three years. If you are subjected to loud noise frequently or work at a job where noise is common, you should decide to get screened more often. There’s no reason not to do it, it’s painless and simple.
When it comes to your hearing, more often is absolutely better. The sooner you recognize any problems, the more quickly you’ll be capable of addressing whatever loss of hearing that might have developed since your last hearing exam.
Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Checked
Of course, your annual (or semi-annual) hearing test isn’t the only good occasion to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. For example, if you notice signs of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s usually a good plan to immediately contact a hearing specialist and schedule a hearing exam.
Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:
- Problems hearing conversations in loud surroundings.
- Sounds seem muffled; it’s starting to sound as if you always have water in your ears.
- Continually asking people to slow down or repeat themselves during a conversation.
- Having a very hard time understanding people when talking on the phone, mobile or otherwise
- Listening to your favorite music at extremely high volumes.
- Having a tough time making out consonants (generally speaking, consonants are spoken in a higher wavelength than vowels, and it’s those high-frequency sounds that are generally the first to go as hearing loss takes hold)
A strong indicator that right now is the best time to get a hearing exam is when the warning signs begin to add up. You need to know what’s happening with your hearing and that means having a hearing test sooner rather than later.
Hearing Tests, What Are The Advantages?
Sophia may be late for her hearing exam for many reasons. Perhaps she hasn’t considered it. Maybe thinking about it is something she’s simply avoiding. But getting your hearing examined on the recommended schedule has actual benefits.
Even when your hearing is completely healthy, a hearing test can help create a standard reading, which makes deviations in the future simpler to detect. You can safeguard your hearing better if you catch it before it becomes an issue.
The reason for regular hearing assessment is that somebody like Sofia will be able to identify concerns before her hearing is diminished permanently. By detecting your hearing loss early, by getting your hearing checked when you’re supposed to, you’ll be giving your ears their best chance of staying healthy. It’s important to think about how hearing loss will influence your total health.