Most people schedule their annual physical, biannual dental cleaning and biennial eye exam. However, it’s all too common for people to neglect scheduling regular hearing tests. This happens largely because most people don’t think about their hearing health and because most primary care physicians don’t regularly refer their patients to audiologists unless something is clearly amiss. Below we review how often you should get your hearing tested.
Hearing Screenings Vs. Hearing Tests
While the terms are often used interchangeably, there’s a difference between a hearing screening and a hearing test. Hearing screenings tell whether or not a hearing loss is present, while hearing tests reveal the exact nature of your hearing loss, including the type and degree. You can easily take a hearing screening at home online or in your primary care physician’s office, while a hearing test is conducted in a soundproof booth in an audiologist’s office.
Who Should Get a Hearing Screening?
Newborns must be screened for hearing loss per the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program created in 2000. Throughout childhood, children should be screened for hearing loss as well. A hearing screener may also be taken if you suspect you may have hearing loss and are deciding whether or not you should schedule a hearing test.
Who Should Get a Hearing Test?
Healthy adults ages 18-40 should get a hearing test every three to five years. Even if no hearing loss is present, it’s important to establish a baseline at a young age to compare later hearing tests to in order to monitor changes.
There are some groups who should get their hearing tested more frequently:
- People over age 60. Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is common. One in three people ages 65 to 74 has hearing loss, and for those over age 75, this number jumps to one in two. For this reason, people over age 60 should get their hearing tested once a year.
- People who work in noisy environments. Noise-induced hearing loss, which could come from not wearing hearing protection while working at places such as Charleston Stone Company, is the second most common cause of hearing loss. People who work in construction, especially operating engineers of heavy machinery, and those who enjoy noisy hobbies should also get their hearing tested annually.
- People with hearing loss. It may seem counterintuitive to get your hearing tested more frequently if you’ve already been diagnosed with hearing loss. However, it’s important to get your hearing tested yearly in order to monitor changes so that your hearing aids can be adjusted accordingly.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Charleston ENT & Allergy today.