A hearing test is a simple, non-invasive check that measures your ability to detect sounds across various pitches and volumes. Regular evaluations are important for maintaining auditory health, influencing communication, social engagement, and cognitive function as you age. Early detection allows for timely intervention, which can significantly improve a person’s quality of life and potentially slow related declines.
Recommended Age-Based Screening Frequency
Preventative hearing checks follow a schedule based on age demographics, assuming no prior hearing concerns or risk factors exist. Newborns undergo universal hearing screening before leaving the hospital. If a baby does not pass this initial screening, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is typically completed by three months of age.
School-aged children commonly receive periodic screenings, often administered in educational settings or during routine pediatric visits. These routine checks are important because even a mild hearing loss can interfere with a child’s speech development and academic performance.
For adults, a baseline hearing test is generally recommended around age 18 to 21 to establish a reference point for future comparisons. Healthy adults without noticeable symptoms should plan for a repeat screening every five to ten years until age 50.
Adults over the age of 50 should begin testing every one to three years, even if they feel their hearing is normal. Regular testing allows for the earliest possible identification of a decline and permits the individual to pursue appropriate management options sooner.
Immediate Signs That Require a Hearing Test
You should schedule a hearing test immediately if you experience certain signs, regardless of your last routine screening date. One common complaint is difficulty following conversations, particularly in environments with significant background noise, such as restaurants or crowded rooms.
A sudden change in hearing should be treated as a medical emergency, especially if the loss occurs rapidly within a 72-hour period, known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Prompt medical attention, ideally within 24 to 48 hours, is necessary because early treatment with medications like steroids can significantly increase the chances of hearing recovery. This rapid onset frequently affects only one ear and demands immediate evaluation by a specialist.
The presence of tinnitus, the sensation of ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears, is another frequent trigger for a test. While tinnitus is not always a sign of hearing loss, it is strongly correlated and warrants a full audiological workup to determine the underlying cause and severity. Additionally, a persistent feeling of ear fullness or pressure, without the presence of a cold or flu, suggests a possible middle ear issue that a hearing test can help diagnose. Constantly needing to turn up the volume of the television or phone to levels too loud for others is also a clear indicator that your auditory thresholds have changed.
Medical and Environmental Risk Factors
Individuals with certain medical conditions or environmental exposures should undergo more frequent hearing surveillance than the general population. One significant risk factor is exposure to ototoxic medications, which are drugs known to damage the sensory cells of the inner ear. These include specific classes of powerful antibiotics, such as aminoglycosides, and platinum-based chemotherapy agents like cisplatin, which are often used in cancer treatment.
Other common medications, including high-dose aspirin, certain loop diuretics, and some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can also temporarily or permanently affect hearing. Anyone starting a course of these medications should discuss the hearing risks with their prescribing physician and consider establishing an audiological monitoring schedule.
Chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are linked to an increased risk of developing hearing loss. Noise exposure is a major preventable risk factor, requiring regular testing for those in specific occupations like construction, manufacturing, or music performance. Even recreational activities involving high-intensity sound necessitate more frequent checks. Finally, a history of chronic or recurring middle ear infections or a family history of hearing loss suggests a need for earlier and more consistent monitoring.
What to Expect During a Hearing Evaluation
A comprehensive hearing evaluation is typically performed by an audiologist, a healthcare professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating hearing and balance disorders. A Hearing Instrument Specialist, in contrast, focuses mainly on the selection and fitting of hearing aids for adults, with a narrower scope of practice that does not include medical diagnosis. For any suspected underlying medical issue or for pediatric care, an audiologist is the appropriate professional to consult first.
The evaluation involves a series of non-invasive tests, beginning with pure-tone testing. During this test, you listen to tones of different pitches through headphones and signal when you hear the quietest sound in each ear, which establishes your hearing thresholds. These results are recorded on a graph called an audiogram, which illustrates the degree and configuration of any hearing loss.
Speech recognition testing complements the pure-tone test by assessing how clearly you can understand spoken words at various volumes. Another common component is tympanometry, which involves placing a small probe in the ear canal to measure how the eardrum moves in response to pressure changes, providing information about the health and function of the middle ear. Following the tests, the audiologist reviews the audiogram with you and discusses whether a medical referral, hearing technology, or other management strategies are appropriate.