Coping Mechanisms for Tinnitus
Tinnitus can feel like a relentless opponent. The annoying ringing or
By: admin | October 20, 2022
Most audiologists recommend that people over a certain age get hearing tests at least once per year. But is it really necessary? Or are they trying to fill their books? Fortunately, independent bodies set official guidance on how often people should get hearing tests. This protects patients from unnecessary testing and also shows you what the science demands. And they say that some patients should get tested every year.
How often you need to get hearing tests depends on your age and underlying medical conditions. Young people in good health should get their hearing tested around once every ten years from the age of 21 until 50. After that, they should get tested every three years, since the risk of developing hearing loss goes up.
After the age of 60, patients should go for annual checkups. These can help to detect rapid-onset hearing loss early and provide treatment in a timely manner.
As a patient, you should be careful to distinguish between a hearing test and a hearing screening. They are not the same. A hearing test is an extensive panel of evaluations carried out by a certified hearing professional. These can include:
By contrast, an ear screening is a quick hearing test that you either pass or fail. These quickly determine whether there is a hearing issue present or not. Most babies get screened soon after birth. Children receive them during school. Adults may get them at walk-in health clinics.
If people pass the hearing screening, no further action is required. However, if they fail, they may need to undergo a more extensive hearing evaluation, as described above. Critically, hearing screenings don’t tell you much about the nature of your hearing loss. It just lets you know that you might be at risk or already living with the condition.
Hearing screening is important from an early age and something that people should probably do annually. Hearing loss affects an estimated eight million people between the ages of 18 and 44, and 14% of those between 45 and 64. Hence, the likelihood of actually having the condition is high.
Above we described general guidelines for how often people should get hearing tests. However, there are some groups of people who should go for an evaluation with their audiologist annually, regardless of their age.
These include:
If you want to protect your hearing, booking annual tests with your audiologist is essential. Call The Hearing Clinic at Woodlake at (612) 246-4868 to arrange a consultation with one of our audiologists.
Tags: faqs
Tinnitus can feel like a relentless opponent. The annoying ringing or
By: admin | January 31, 2024
Hearing loss can affect individuals of any age, often going unnoticed for
By: admin | December 28, 2023
Hearing loss can have a real impact on your life. You can notice changes
By: admin | November 25, 2023