How Often Should You Have Your Hearing Tested?

A hearing test is a special examination carried out by an audiologist. As the name suggests, the sole purpose of this test is to see how well you can hear. It involves lots of different tests all rolled into one package, and you receive the results straight away. This is the best way to identify hearing loss and figure out the specific type of hearing problems you might have. 

With that in mind, you’re probably wondering when you need to go for a hearing test and how often you should go back. In fact, some of you might not have had a hearing examination since leaving elementary school! Don’t worry, this is very common; most people don’t get a hearing test until they’re over 50. 

However, hearing tests are important as they help identify any problems as early as possible. So, they should become a somewhat regular part of your overall health screening. The precise regularity depends on a series of factors, which we’ll discuss below:

How old are you?

Age plays a key role in determining how often you need to go in for a hearing test. As a child, you should’ve had a hearing test every year when in elementary school. This stops as you get older, mainly because there’s not much need for a test. While children can develop hearing loss, it’s much more prevalent in adults. 

Having said that, some adults are more at risk than others. Most people aged 18-60 should have a hearing test every three to five years. Obviously, the younger you are, the less frequent the tests should be. You should start at a five-year gap in your youth, then gradually reduce this as you get older. 

For anyone over 60, you will need to reduce the gap between tests once more. Age-related hearing loss is extremely common in people aged 65 and over. As you get older, the sensory hair cells in the inner ear get damaged, which leads to hearing complications. So, you need annual hearing tests to stay on top of this. The sooner a problem with your hearing is identified, the easier it is to treat and slow down the hearing loss process. 

Do you live or work in a noisy environment?

The information displayed above is meant as a best-case scenario guideline. Naturally, people of all ages will live different lives and be in various environments. As a result, some people put themselves at risk of developing hearing loss before they reach 65. This mainly comes from noise-induced hearing loss, which happens when you’re exposed to dangerously loud sounds all the time. 

Therefore, if you live or work in a noisy environment, then you will need to increase the frequency of your hearing tests. This is particularly important for people that work in any of these areas: 

• Manufacturing
• Construction
• The music industry
• Motorsports
• Law enforcement
• The military

All these areas of work will expose your ears to incredibly loud sounds almost every single day – sometimes for multiple hours per day. Even if you wear hearing protection – which every audiologist will recommend you do – you should still get your hearing tested every year. 

Do you already have hearing loss?

You may think that you don’t need to bother with hearing tests if you’ve been diagnosed with hearing loss. On the contrary, you need hearing tests more than anyone else! 

When your hearing starts to worsen, it can gradually get worse and worse. So, hearing tests are required to track your hearing loss and try to delay it from deteriorating further. Also, any changes to your hearing loss severity will mean that you need to alter the settings on your hearing aids. 

Thus, people that already have hearing loss will need to see their audiologist for a hearing test every year at the very least. Some audiologists may need you to come in more frequently than that, it depends on how severe your hearing loss is. 

In general, the average adult between the ages of 18-60 can have a hearing test every three to five years if no sign of loss is present. 

This increase to one hearing test per year if you’re over 60, are always exposed to loud noises, or already have hearing loss. 

Book your hearing test today

Affordable Audiology & Hearing Service can provide you with a comprehensive hearing evaluation that tests your hearing ability. If you think you’re due for a hearing test, then feel free to call us today at (920) 267-5220. We can get you booked in for an examination, and you’re welcome to ask any questions about the various services we offer.