Hearing loss is progressive throughout a person’s life. It can be so gradual that many people don’t realize it’s happening. It’s a condition often noticed by friends and family before the person who has it realizes how much it has progressed. That makes it even more essential to determine when and how you plan to monitor your hearing if you live alone.
Establish a Hearing Baseline at 50
Without a baseline to establish your hearing ability, there is no way to know if it is better or worse than it was. Even if you don’t suspect a hearing loss, you should schedule a hearing test at 50 if you haven’t had one in the last three years.
This provides your specialist with a baseline to work off and can catch early hearing loss at a point when most people haven’t even considered it yet.
How Often Should You Have Your Hearing Tested?
This varies by provider. The World Health Organization recommends the following, beginning at age 50.
Age 50 to 64: Once every five years until the age of 65
Age 65 +: Once every one to three years
What Is the Goal of Regular Hearing Screening?
Hearing loss gets worse over time, and there is no cure. Whenever you read something that discusses hearing aid treatment, they are always referring to the management of a hearing loss and the preservation of a person’s current hearing abilities using treatment methods like hearing devices.
The goal of any specialist performing a hearing exam is to identify hearing loss at the earliest possible stage in its development, for someone who would benefit from treatment using hearing technology or from intervention including education, counseling and communication training.
Early treatment can help prevent further hearing loss.
Can You Test Your Hearing At Home?
Although at-home testing options will not provide the accuracy of a test performed by a hearing specialist, they may help you identify a potential hearing loss, at which point you should schedule a complete exam.
hearWHO App
The World Health Organization has published its own app called hearWHO. This app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. This hearing screener can help you monitor your hearing over time, providing personalized tracking that may help you identify a hearing loss.
Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHA)
Created by the Hearing Aid Research Lab as part of the University of Memphis Center for Research Initiatives and Strategies for the Communicatively Impaired (CRISCI), this self-assessment can help users identify the difference in their hearing with and without an amplification device.
If You Have Hearing Concerns
If you’re concerned about your hearing, schedule an appointment with a specialist at Heuser Hearing Institute. We can help you identify whether you have hearing loss and treatment options if you do, and help you determine the best path towards healthy hearing, whether you’re taking your first step or are already familiar with hearing loss progression and medical treatment.