Everyone at every age needs to get hearing tests.
| Health tips: Are you due for a hearing exam? | | | Dear Reader,
It’s important for everyone at every age to get hearing tests. If you’re concerned about hearing loss or you’ve been in a situation that increases your risk of hearing loss, you can ask for a hearing exam. Sometimes, a hearing exam is required by law.
Screening for newborns and children is done regularly. Screening for adults, on the other hand, is done only when it’s needed. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that adults get their hearing checked at least every 10 years through age 50 and every three years after that.
Screening is especially important in midlife and later because hearing loss increases with age. Just 2% of adults ages 45 to 54 have hearing loss. But in adults ages 55 to 64, this number increases to almost 1 in 10. About 1 in 3 people between the ages of 65 and 74 and nearly half of the adults older than age 75 have hearing loss. | Where you work also factors into how often you need to get your hearing checked. Continuous exposure to loud noise can cause you to lose your hearing little by little over time — and this hearing loss can be permanent.
If you have concerns about hearing loss, it’s best to bring them up to your doctor. From there, your doctor may refer you for additional lab tests or to an audiologist.
An audiologist usually assesses all aspects of hearing. Your hearing history will likely be taken, and your ears will likely be examined. You may have lab tests. You’ll also typically have hearing-specific tests, including audiometry, speech reception and word recognition.
If it looks like you have hearing loss, the doctor or audiologist will usually evaluate your signs and symptoms and see if other medical conditions may be causing the hearing loss. The exam will also help show how severe the hearing loss is and what treatment would help most. |
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| Move past common hearing and balance issues | | If you struggle with hearing loss and balance issues, you’re not alone. | | Get this resource |
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