Maintaining your auditory health is fundamental to promoting overall well-being. Our ability to hear facilitates daily interactions, ensures our safety and enriches our lives with our favorite music, shows and more. Despite the critical role our hearing plays, it’s all too common to neglect auditory care. One key aspect of caring for your auditory health is scheduling regular hearing tests.
Understanding the Importance of Hearing Tests
Regular testing allows your provider to establish your baseline hearing and track any loss before it negatively affects you. In addition to the benefits of regular testing, audiology appointments give you the opportunity to address any other hearing concerns you may be experiencing, like tinnitus, earwax impaction and more.
How Often Should You Have Your Hearing Tested?
How often you should undergo hearing testing depends on age and individual needs. For example, people over 60 are advised to schedule a check-up annually. While those under 60 should aim for an examination every three to five years.
In the United States, around 15% of adults report some degree of hearing loss. Because signs of mild hearing loss are often subtle, it can be easy to miss them when they creep up. Keep an eye out for the following signs of hearing loss:
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves or feeling that they mumble more than usual
- Persistent ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus
- Struggling to hear high-pitched tones, such as children’s voices or birds chirping in Buckroe Beach and Park
- Difficulty keeping up with conversations, particularly over the phone or in noisy settings like a bustling restaurant or café
If you begin experiencing one or more of these symptoms, schedule a hearing test as soon as possible, regardless of how long it has been since your last visit.
What To Expect During a Hearing Test
The hearing test process is straightforward and non-invasive. Seated in a soundproof space, you’ll wear headphones through which your hearing specialist will play sounds at different frequencies and volumes. You’ll indicate when you hear a sound by pressing a button. The specialist will document the results on an audiogram, a visual representation of your hearing capacity. Your specialist will use the audiogram to determine if there is hearing loss, its degree and the best course of action, whether hearing aids, counseling or other treatments.
Taking Action for Your Hearing Health
Committing to routine hearing testing plays a significant role in safeguarding your auditory health and preventing the adverse consequences of untreated hearing loss. Contact Hampton Roads ENT ~ Allergy today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists for a hearing test.