Is a Hearing Test in My 50s Really Necessary?

Are you active and in the prime of your life but beginning to experience challenges with your hearing?  

If you’re in your 50s or even younger, you’re probably a bit confused about why you’re experiencing a hearing loss so young. After all, problems with hearing aren’t supposed to happen until you’re in your 70s and 80s, right? 

In our noisy world and because of increased exposure to ototoxic drugs and chemicals, a higher number of young adults are experiencing a hearing loss. 

Estimates from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD) put the number of Americans under the age of 69 who are affected by hearing loss due to exposure to damaging noise levels at work at 60 million. In addition, 18 million young adults are experiencing hearing damage from non-occupational noise. 

Essentially, hearing challenges are no longer reserved for those 70 years old and older. The personalized hearing care provided by ENT Consultants of East Tennessee is not limited to any particular adult age bracket, and all of our appointments start with a comprehensive hearing assessment. 

​What Will a Hearing Assessment in My 50s Do for Me? 

The majority of people wait up to seven years before addressing their hearing challenges after the first symptoms begin to appear. There are many reasons behind their hesitation, but one of them is the stigma of being broken and old, especially if hearing aids might be among the treatment options. 

Tragically, the longer they wait, the more damage is being done to their hearing and other healthcare issues, such as cognitive decline and balance disorders begin to show up. 

Having your hearing tested while you’re in your 50s instead of waiting is a major positive!  

At ENT Consultants of East Tennessee, we are seeing more adults in their 50s and younger starting to take a proactive approach to hearing care as a positive lifestyle choice. 

With early identification of hearing challenges, your audiologist will have a broader range of treatment options available and will be able to head off any additional damage and associated healthcare issues.  

If hearing aids are the best solution, then you can rest easier knowing that modern hearing aid technology is smaller, lighter, more powerful, and comes with a wide range of programming options to address your unique needs and circumstances. 

However, before assuming that hearing aids are the only solution, schedule a comprehensive hearing assessment to know exactly what options are available to prevent or overcome your specific hearing challenges.  

What Happens during a Hearing Assessment? 

1. Your audiologist will start off with a conversation that revolves around your health and family history, occupation, hobbies, and social activities, looking for some of the common risk factors associated with hearing loss.

2. After your initial interview, we will physically examine your ears looking for blockage in your ear canal, damage to your eardrum, and other signs of structural damage to your ears. Sometimes, getting rid of an obstruction like earwax, inflammation, or a growth in your ear canal is all that is needed to restore your hearing.

3. The next part of your hearing assessment involves transmitting sounds at different frequencies and volumes through different types of headphones to determine the lowest volume you are able to hear various frequencies. In addition, we’ll get a real-world feel for your capacity to understand and process speech with and without background noise. 

4. Unlike many tests, you don’t have to wait for the results of a hearing test. Once testing is complete, your audiologist will review the results with you, interpreting their significance and then providing you with available solutions to ensure better hearing.

Are You Concerned about Your Hearing? 

If you are, we highly recommend having your hearing tested annually after you reach the age of 50.