According to one recent survey, nearly 30% of people have gone more than ten years without getting a hearing test. Sofia is one of those people. She goes to her annual doctor’s appointments, she visits a dentist every six months, and she has an oil change in her car every 3000 miles. But she can’t remember the last time she took a hearing test or went through any sort of accurate hearing evaluation.

There are a number of reasons why it’s beneficial to get hearing exams, detecting early symptoms of hearing loss is probably the most important one. Knowing how regularly she should get a hearing test will help Sofia keep her ears (and hearing) as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

How Frequently Do You Need to Have a Hearing Examination?

We might be alarmed if Sophia hadn’t had a hearing exam in ten years. Or we may think it’s completely normal. Depending on Sophia’s age, reactions might vary. This is because hearing professionals have different guidelines based on age.

• At least every three years, it’s suggested that you get a hearing assessment. There’s no issue having your ears tested more frequently, of course! But once every three years is the bare minimum. You should definitely get evaluated more often if you spend a lot of time in a noisy setting. There’s no reason not to get it done, it’s painless and easy.
• If you’re older than fifty: The general recommendation is that anyone above the age of fifty should have hearing checks every year. As you age, the noise damage you’ve incurred over a lifetime can start to speed up, which means loss of hearing is more likely to begin affecting your life. There are also several other variables that can affect your hearing.

If you would like to undergo hearing screenings or tests more often, there’s obviously no harm in that, at least when it comes to your hearing. Since the last time you had a hearing exam, you may have new injury you should recognize, so regular hearing exams could be helpful.

Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Checked

Needless to say, your yearly (or semi-annual) hearing exam isn’t the only good time to make an appointment with a hearing professional. As an example, if you notice signs of hearing loss. And in those situations, it’s often a good plan to immediately get in touch with a hearing professional and schedule a hearing test.

Some of the signs that might prompt you to get a hearing test could include:

• 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)
• Listening to your favorite music at extremely high volumes.
• Continually asking people to repeat themselves or slow down during a conversation.
• Phone conversations are always difficult to understand
• Your hearing is dull as if there is water in your ears.
• When you’re in a loud environment, you have difficulty hearing conversations.

A good sign that right now is the best time to get a hearing exam is when the warning signs start to accumulate. You need to know what’s going on with your ears and that means having a hearing test as soon as possible.

Hearing Tests, What Are The Advantages?

Sophia may be late for her hearing exam for several reasons. Denial is a leading choice. Possibly thinking about it is something she’s just avoiding. But there are tangible benefits to getting your hearing checked per recommendations.

Even when your hearing is completely healthy, a hearing exam can help set a baseline reading, which makes deviations in the future simpler to detect. You can safeguard your hearing better if you identify it before it becomes an issue.

The point of regular hearing testing is that somebody like Sofia will be enabled to identify problems before her hearing is permanently impaired. Early detection by a hearing assessment can help your hearing be healthy for a long time. Understanding the impact of hearing loss on your total health, that’s essential.