How Often Should You Have Your Hearing Tested?

If you’re like most people in Abington, you don’t give much thought to having your hearing tested—unless you notice a problem. People don’t pay as much attention to routine hearing care as they do their eyes and teeth, but you should still make an effort to get your hearing checked from time to time. How often depends on a bunch of different factors.

Hearing Exam Guidelines

Hearing loss is a widespread problem, affecting an estimated 48 million Americans to some degree. There is a mistaken assumption that only older individuals experience hearing loss, but it affects people of all ages. Hearing loss can result from aging, disease, trauma, noise and more.

Is it time to have your hearing tested?

The sooner hearing loss is detected, the more options you’ll have for treatment and the sooner you’ll be able to reconnect with the world. Unfortunately, many people don’t even realize when they are suffering from a hearing impairment.

How does hearing loss progress?

Hearing loss occurs gradually, and the brain is very adept at “filling in the blanks” so that you become accustomed to a decline in hearing ability. This has long-term negative consequences. Left untreated, hearing loss can lead to a variety of physical, social and psychological health problems ranging from loneliness and depression to kidney disease and an increased risk of falls.

Research shows it takes an average of seven years from the onset of hearing loss before a person seeks medical attention. By then, your options are more limited.

How can you identify hearing loss?

Hearing exams are the best way to catch hearing loss early. How often you have your hearing tested depends on a number of factors including your age, risk factors and whether you have any symptoms of possible hearing loss.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends the following schedule for having your hearing tested:

• Adults under the age of 50 should have their hearing tested at least once every 10 years.
• Adults over the age of 50 should have their hearing tested every three years.
• Children should be tested when they enter school and at ages 6, 8 and 10. They should have an additional hearing test once during middle school and once during high school.

People with certain risk factors will need to have their hearing tested more often. These include:

• Occupational or recreational noise exposure.
• Family history of hearing loss.
• Viral or bacterial infections.
• Use of medications linked to hearing loss.
• A head injury.

Schedule a hearing exam today.

To schedule a hearing exam for you or a loved one, contact an audiologist in Abington today.

Learn More About Hearing and your Health

• What Your Health Reveals About Your Hearing
• Age-Related Hearing Loss Genes Identified
• Mumps and Hearing Loss: Another Argument for Immunization

Abington, PA ENT Office Locations

Abington
1245 Highland Ave, #502
Abington, PA 19001
(215) 886-1482