subject: How Often Should You Have A Hearing Test? [print this page] For those who are at risk, a hearing test can be one of the most important things you do to prevent any loss of your ability to hear. Once the eardrum is damaged, there is no way to fix the problem. There is no cure for hearing loss. Yet, there are steps you can take to minimize the loss and even help ensure that you never have to deal with this problem. You need to have regular screenings. Your family doctor is okay, but you may also want to see a specialist in some situations.
Regular Screenings Are a Good Thing
If you are young and healthy, it may not seem necessary to have a regular hearing test. However, that is not often the case. Loss does not develop due to age. It also happens in situations where an individual is exposed to various sounds that damage the inner ear. When this happens, it is very common for damage to worsen over time. This can often happen in work-related situations. If your job requires you to be in an area where there is constant noise, damage to the inner ear may occur more readily than you realize. For a solution, talk to a supervisor or someone in your human resources department about minimizing the noise at work.
Getting Older
When people reach the age of about 50 or 60, a third of them will have experienced some loss of the ability to hear. By the time people reach the age of about 65, half of adults have lost some of this critical sense. This is due to trauma and general wear of the parts of the ear. There is often nothing you can do about it. As the eardrums get older, it can become harder for you to hear well. At this age, it is important to have specialized screenings on a regular basis. Your doctor may tell you that you need them every six months to a year. In some cases, you may need to have treatment right away.
What many people do not realize is that there are treatments to consider. However, to get treatment, you have to know that a problem is present. That, in itself, is a challenge. Most people don't realize they are experiencing a loss. Having a regular hearing test can help you to feel good, and it can also point you in the right direction for treatments and devices that help people regain the ability to hear.
