Hearing Tests: When Should You Get Your Hearing Checked?

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As you get older, your likelihood of experiencing some degree of hearing loss increases significantly. 

While approximately 5% of adults between the ages of 45 and 54 experience some level of hearing loss, that rate increases in older demographics. Among adults over the age of 75, approximately 55% have hearing loss. 

What happens in between? Age alone is often the culprit. Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, is the most common cause of hearing loss, ahead of hearing loss caused by infection or exposure to loud noise. 

As with going to the dentist and the doctor, visiting an audiologist to get your hearing checked becomes more important as you get older. As your risk of hearing loss increases, you should get your hearing checked more frequently. 

How Often Should You Get Your Hearing Tested? 

Experts recommend that as a baseline, you should get your hearing checked every 10 years until you turn 50. Having your hearing checked is not the same as having your hearing tested. An audiologist will test your hearing if they identify hearing loss. A full hearing test evaluates the type and extent of hearing loss that you are experiencing. Adults over the age of 50 should have their hearing tested every 2 to 3 years. 

Once hearing loss has been identified, hearing tests should be conducted once per year. Hearing loss is a progressive condition that may get worse over time. Having your hearing tested regularly will help your audiologist program your hearing aid to meet your changing needs. 

Signs You Should Get Your Hearing Tested 

While experts suggest getting your hearing tested regularly, many people do not consider having their hearing checked until they experience an issue. These are some of the leading signs that you may be experiencing hearing loss:

• Regularly asking people to repeat themselves at work, home, or in social situations.
• Struggling to hear the conversation when you are in public, particularly in busy places with lots of background noise.
• Having to deliberately concentrate or focus in order to follow what someone is saying.
• Consistently increasing the volume at which you listen to T.V. or music.

Getting Your Hearing Tested Due to Exposure to Loud Noise

Exposure to loud noises can also cause hearing loss. Exposure to extremely loud noises even once can cause permanent damage, but long-term exposure to quieter noises can lead to lasting hearing damage. 

People who work in fields like transportation, construction, mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and others have an elevated risk of hearing loss because they are regularly around equipment or vehicles that produce loud noise. Even with appropriate precautions, they may experience hearing loss.

Wax Buildup: Reversed Hearing Loss

Wax buildup is a common cause of hearing loss and one that can be reversed. Wax buildup or compaction can prevent sound from entering your ear, creating a muffled sensation that makes it very hard to hear. Wax can be removed, restoring your hearing, but it should be done by a professional to avoid causing any permanent damage or making the situation worse. 

Regularly having your hearing checked will allow you to identify hearing loss early on. Early intervention can improve your quality of life.

This is a guest blog entry.