How Often Should You Retest Your Hearing?

Your hearing is an important sense that connects you to the world, yet it’s easy to take for granted until something changes. Most of us don’t think about getting our hearing checked until we start missing conversations or turning up the TV volume.

Life presents several natural milestones when a hearing test makes sense – starting a new job, entering retirement, experiencing significant health changes or noticing early warning signs like frequently asking people to repeat themselves. These aren’t just routine check-ups; they’re opportunities to catch potential hearing issues before they significantly impact your quality of life.

Some symptoms should prompt immediate attention: sudden hearing loss, constant ringing in your ears, difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments or feeling like everyone around you is mumbling. These could be signs that it’s time to schedule a hearing assessment, regardless of your age.

How Does Our Hearing Change Over Time?

Hearing naturally changes throughout life, often in ways that are gradual and easy to overlook at first. In early childhood, hearing is at its most sensitive, playing a key role in speech and language development. Young children rely on their ability to hear a full range of sounds to learn words, recognize voices and engage with the world around them. Even mild hearing challenges during this stage can affect communication and learning, which is why early awareness and support are so important.

As people move into adulthood, hearing remains stable for many years, but gradual shifts can begin earlier than expected. Repeated exposure to loud sounds – whether from music, work environments or everyday noise – can lead to subtle changes that accumulate over time. The ability to hear high-pitched sounds often starts to decline first, making certain speech sounds, like “s” and “th,” harder to distinguish. Conversations in noisy places may become more challenging and sounds that were once crisp might seem slightly muffled or distant.

Later in life, these gradual changes can become more noticeable, especially in settings with background noise or when following conversations with multiple speakers. Many people describe needing to ask others to repeat themselves more often or finding that speech sounds unclear, even if the volume seems sufficient. This is due to the way the inner ear and auditory pathways process sound over time, making it harder for the brain to separate speech from surrounding noise. While these changes are a natural part of aging, their impact varies from person to person and can be influenced by factors like genetics, overall health and lifetime noise exposure.

Aging and Having Your Hearing Testing

Hearing tests are important at different stages of life to ensure that any changes are identified early. In infancy, newborn hearing screenings are standard, as early detection of hearing challenges can support speech and language development. For young children, additional testing may be recommended if there are concerns about speech milestones or responses to sound. School-age children may also benefit from periodic hearing checks, especially if they have frequent colds or allergies that could affect their hearing.

During adolescence and early adulthood, hearing tests are less routine but can be helpful for those frequently exposed to loud noise, like musicians or individuals who use headphones at high volumes. Workplace hearing screenings may be recommended for those in noisy environments, like construction or manufacturing. By middle age, a baseline hearing test can help track any future changes, even if no immediate concerns are present.

For adults over 50, hearing should be tested more regularly, as gradual changes may develop. Even without noticeable difficulty, a hearing test every few years can help establish patterns and provide a clearer picture of any shifts over time. By age 65, professional guidelines often recommend routine screenings, as age-related changes in hearing become more common. Regular testing at this stage can help with long-term communication and overall well-being.

How Does Noise Damage Your Hearing?

Noise exposure is one of the most common causes of changes in hearing over time. Loud sounds can damage the delicate hair cells in the inner ear, which are responsible for detecting sound and sending signals to the brain. Unlike other cells in the body, these hair cells do not regenerate, meaning that once they are damaged, the effects are permanent. The risk depends on both the volume and duration of exposure – short bursts of extremely loud noise, like fireworks or gunfire, can cause immediate damage, while prolonged exposure to moderately high levels, like loud music or traffic noise, can lead to gradual changes that may not be noticeable right away.

Everyday activities can contribute to noise-related hearing damage, even when the sounds don’t seem overwhelming in the moment. Listening to music through headphones at high volumes, attending concerts or being in loud recreational spaces can slowly wear down the ear’s ability to process sound. The danger increases when there is no break from noise, as the ears need time to recover after exposure to loud environments. Without adequate rest periods, the effects of noise build up over time, making it more difficult to distinguish speech and other sounds clearly.

Protecting hearing from excessive noise is an important step in maintaining long-term auditory health. Using ear protection in loud settings, keeping personal audio at safe levels and taking breaks from continuous noise exposure can help reduce the risk of long-term damage. Awareness of how noise impacts hearing makes it easier to make choices that support better sound preservation over time.

Lifestyle and Your Hearing Test Schedule

Our everyday activities and lifestyle choices often have a direct impact on our hearing health. Factors like your recreational activities and personal habits like smoking can affect the frequency of your hearing tests.

Frequent exposure to loud environments, like concerts, sporting events or personal audio devices at high volumes, can contribute to gradual changes in hearing over time. Even common activities like mowing the lawn or using power tools without proper hearing protection can have a lasting impact. Additionally, overall health plays a role in hearing wellness, as conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes have been linked to changes in auditory function. Lifestyle choices like diet and exercise can also influence circulation, which is essential for maintaining the delicate structures of the inner ear. Being mindful of these factors and how they contribute to long-term hearing health can help determine how often hearing should be evaluated.

Work Noise Exposure and Your Hearing Retest Timeline

Certain jobs can put you at a higher risk for hearing loss. Industries like construction, manufacturing and music production often involve exposure to loud noises regularly. This constant exposure can lead to noise-induced hearing loss.

The louder the noise and the longer your exposure to it, the greater your risk of damaging your hearing. That’s why if you work in a noisy environment, it’s suggested that you get your hearing tested more frequently. Regular check-ups with your audiologist can help detect any changes in your hearing early on, allowing for timely adjustments to be made to your treatment plan or devices if needed.

When You Should Retest if You Have Existing Hearing Loss

If you already have hearing loss, retesting is important to ensure that you’re hearing as clearly as possible. Hearing can continue to change over time, and a hearing aid that once worked well may not be providing the same level of benefit. If conversations start to feel more difficult, if you find yourself turning up the volume more often or if certain sounds seem less distinct than they used to, it may be time for a new hearing evaluation. Even if you haven’t noticed major changes, routine testing helps track any shifts and allows for adjustments to your hearing aids as needed.

Hearing aids are programmed based on your specific hearing profile, so if your hearing has changed, they may not be delivering sound as effectively as they once did. If speech seems muffled, background noise feels more overwhelming or you’re missing certain sounds that you used to hear clearly, an updated test can help determine whether adjustments or reprogramming are needed. In some cases, a different type of hearing aid or additional features, like advanced noise reduction or new technology, may provide better results.

Even without noticeable concerns, most audiologists recommend retesting hearing every two years if you have existing hearing loss. This helps ensure that any gradual changes are accounted for and that your hearing aids continue to match your needs. Staying proactive about retesting can help you maintain clear, comfortable hearing and get the most out of your devices.

Signs You Need a Hearing Retest

There are several signs that may indicate you need a hearing retest. One common sign is if you start having difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments. If you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves more often or missing parts of conversations, it could be a sign that your hearing has changed. Similarly, if your hearing aids no longer seem to provide the clarity they once did, or if they’re making sounds that seem muffled or distorted, it might be time for a retest to adjust the settings or consider a different type of device.

Another sign is if you feel like you’re constantly increasing the volume on devices, such as the television or radio, to a level that others find uncomfortable. This could indicate that your hearing has changed, and you may not be receiving the full range of sounds. You might also notice that you’re experiencing more difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds, such as certain speech consonants or alarms, which are often among the first sounds to be affected by hearing loss.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can also be a sign that a hearing retest is needed, particularly if the ringing seems to be getting louder or more persistent. If you’ve noticed any of these changes, it’s a good idea to schedule a hearing test to ensure that your hearing needs are being addressed properly.

What to Expect from a Standardized Hearing Retest Procedure

A standardized hearing retest follows a structured process to evaluate any changes in your hearing and ensure that any hearing devices you use are adjusted appropriately. The appointment typically begins with a discussion about any differences you’ve noticed, like increased difficulty in conversations, changes in sound clarity or issues with your current hearing aids. This conversation helps determine whether adjustments may be needed and provides insight into how your hearing may have changed since your last test.

The testing itself usually includes a series of assessments to measure how well you hear different tones and speech sounds. You’ll wear headphones or ear inserts while listening to a range of frequencies at varying volumes to determine the softest sounds you can detect. Speech testing may also be included, where you’ll be asked to repeat words or sentences presented at different levels. If you wear hearing aids, testing may also be conducted with them in place to assess how well they are amplifying sound and whether adjustments could improve your listening experience.

Once the testing is complete, the results will be reviewed to identify any shifts in your hearing. If changes are detected, recommendations may include reprogramming your current hearing aids, exploring different technology options or discussing additional strategies to improve your listening comfort. The goal of a retest is to ensure that your hearing support remains well-matched to your needs so that you can continue engaging confidently in conversations and daily activities.

Learn More About Your Hearing Testing Options

The frequency of your hearing retests depends on various factors including your age, lifestyle, occupational noise exposure, existing hearing loss or current issues you may be experiencing with your hearing aids. Staying in tune with your hearing needs is an excellent way to remain connected to the conversations around you.

If you have any questions or concerns about how often you should get your hearing retested or if it’s time for a check-up, don’t hesitate to reach out to Arkansas Professional Hearing Care. Our team of experienced professionals is ready to assist you in maintaining optimal auditory health. You can contact us at one of our convenient locations by calling: Bryant and Little Rock, AR: (501) 588-0177 or Hot Springs, AR: (501) 760-0565.