How Often Should I Get My Hearing Tested?

When it comes to your overall health, it can be easy to overlook your hearing. However, hearing loss can have a significant impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. A routine hearing test from an audiologist can be used to identify potential issues. It's always a good idea to get your hearing checked, but based on your age, you should schedule your appointments at different frequencies.

Infants and Children

Soon after babies are born, hospital staff members evaluate their hearing before discharging them to identify any potential congenital hearing loss. It's recommended that you bring your child for another hearing test between the ages of two or three, especially if they have any issues with speech development. Yearly evaluations are also offered in many school districts. If anything is detected in these screenings, a more in-depth exam by an audiologist can help determine the type of hearing loss and develop a course of treatment.

Healthy Adults

For adults between the ages of 18 and 40, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends a hearing test every three to five years. This recommendation is for adults who are not currently experiencing any signs and symptoms of hearing loss.

Adults Over 60

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a third of adults over the age of 65 have some form of hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensory receptors, or hair cells, in the inner ear. It can also be linked to various ailments, including heart disease and diabetes, and certain medications, such as NSAIDs, some classes of antibiotics, and loop diuretics. At first, this change in hearing is very gradual and easy to miss. Many medical associations recommend that adults who are 60 and over should have a hearing test once a year, regardless of whether they're experiencing symptoms of hearing loss.

Regardless of your age, having periodic hearing tests is the best way to identify hearing loss as soon as possible. The audiologists at Absolute Hearing Solutions treat patients throughout the Columbus metro area and other parts of Central Ohio. Our staff offers a friendly, professional environment to help put you at ease. Contact us today to schedule a hearing exam and begin your journey toward better hearing.