A hearing check is a simple, non-invasive process used to measure how well you hear sounds across different frequencies and volumes. This assessment creates a record of your auditory thresholds. Being proactive about getting your hearing checked allows for the earliest possible detection of subtle shifts, which is significant for maintaining communication, cognitive function, and overall quality of life.
Establishing a Preventative Schedule
Regular hearing checks should begin in childhood to ensure proper speech and language development, with newborn screenings conducted before leaving the hospital. Healthy school-age children typically have their hearing checked several times throughout their academic career, often recommended around ages four to six, then periodically in the pre-teen and teenage years. For healthy adults who have no symptoms or risk factors, a baseline hearing test is recommended at least once between the ages of 21 and 60. This initial audiogram establishes a reference point for future comparisons. Adults aged 40 to 60 should consider a preventative check every one to three years, as age-related changes can begin during this period.
Key Indicators for an Immediate Check
If you begin experiencing certain auditory symptoms, a scheduled preventative check should be replaced by an immediate appointment with a specialist. One of the most urgent signals is the sudden onset of hearing loss, defined as a rapid drop in hearing that occurs over a period of less than 72 hours. This condition, known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss, should be treated as a medical emergency to maximize the chances of recovering hearing function. It is often accompanied by a feeling of ear fullness, a loud ringing sound, or dizziness, and requires prompt intervention.
More gradual changes also signal the need for an immediate evaluation, especially when they affect speech clarity rather than just volume. A common symptom is the feeling that you can hear people talking but struggle to understand the words, particularly in noisy environments like restaurants. This difficulty often stems from high-frequency hearing loss, which prevents you from distinguishing soft, high-pitched consonants. People often find they must turn up the television volume to levels others find uncomfortable or frequently ask people to repeat themselves. The persistent presence of tinnitus, a ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in the ears, also warrants an immediate diagnostic check by an audiologist.
Factors That Increase Testing Frequency
Certain health conditions and lifestyle factors place stress on the auditory system and necessitate more frequent monitoring, typically on an annual basis. Individuals with a history of occupational noise exposure, such as those who worked in manufacturing, construction, or military service with blast exposure, are at a higher risk of noise-induced hearing damage. This damage occurs gradually to the delicate hair cells within the cochlea, making regular audiograms essential for tracking progression.
Certain medical treatments also require close auditory monitoring due to their ototoxic effects. Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, and aminoglycoside antibiotics, like gentamicin, can cause permanent sensorineural hearing loss by damaging the cochlear hair cells. Conversely, high doses of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including high-dose aspirin, may cause temporary tinnitus and hearing changes that reverse upon cessation.
Chronic health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension are independently linked to hearing loss because the inner ear relies on a robust supply of oxygenated blood. Restricted blood flow, caused by vascular damage from these diseases, can starve the inner ear structures, making regular checks necessary for managing these conditions.
Scheduling and Understanding Your Results
When you decide to get your hearing checked, it is important to distinguish between a quick screening and a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. A hearing screening, often performed in a primary care setting, is a simple pass-fail test to identify a potential problem. A diagnostic evaluation, performed by an audiologist, is a detailed assessment that determines the exact type, configuration, and degree of any hearing loss.
During the appointment, the audiologist will perform pure-tone testing in a sound-treated booth to determine your hearing thresholds across different pitches. The audiogram visually compares your current hearing to what is considered a normal range. This allows the professional to identify even a slight clinical loss and discuss appropriate intervention options.