Around 3.6 million Australians experience some degree of hearing loss, yet the majority of those people have never had a formal hearing test. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that hearing loss is the second most common health condition in the country, outranked only by back pain. Despite this, hearing health rarely receives the same routine screening attention as dental check-ups or blood pressure monitoring. Understanding how often you should get your hearing checked is the first step toward preventing irreversible damage and maintaining your quality of life.
Recommended Hearing Test Frequency by Age Group
Hearing screening guidelines vary depending on your age, current hearing ability, and exposure to risk factors. Below is a breakdown of the hearing check schedule recommended for each stage of life.
Newborns and Children
Hearing screening in Australia begins at birth. The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) program, available in all Australian states and territories, tests babies within their first few weeks of life. This early screening is critical because undetected hearing loss in infants can significantly delay speech and language development.
After the newborn screen, children should have their hearing checked at the following points:
- Before starting primary school, ideally around age four to five
- During early primary school years if teachers or parents notice attention difficulties or speech delays
- At any point if the child experiences recurrent ear infections (otitis media), which can cause temporary hearing loss that affects learning
Hearing Australia recommends that children with identified risk factors, such as a family history of childhood hearing loss or low birth weight, receive more frequent monitoring throughout childhood. School-aged children who seem to struggle with following instructions or who sit very close to the teacher may benefit from a paediatric hearing test to rule out hearing difficulties.
Adults Aged 18 to 50
For adults between 18 and 50 with no known hearing issues and no significant risk factors, the recommended hearing test frequency is every three to five years. This interval is sufficient to catch any gradual changes before they become disruptive. Many adults in this age group have never had a hearing test since childhood, which means they have no baseline measurement for comparison.
Establishing a baseline hearing assessment in your twenties or thirties is valuable even if your hearing seems fine. When an audiologist has a record of your hearing ability at a younger age, they can detect subtle changes much earlier during subsequent visits. If you have never had an adult comprehensive hearing test, booking one now gives you that reference point for the future.
Adults Aged 50 and Over
The hearing check schedule shifts significantly at age 50. The Australian Department of Health and Ageing, along with audiology bodies such as Audiology Australia, recommends that adults over 50 have their hearing tested every one to two years. This increased hearing test frequency reflects the reality of age-related hearing loss, known clinically as presbycusis.
Age-related hearing loss begins accelerating around age 50 and becomes increasingly common with each decade. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that approximately 30 per cent of Australians aged 51 to 60 experience some measurable hearing loss, rising to around 68 per cent for those over 70. Because this decline is gradual, most people are unaware of how much hearing they have lost until a test quantifies it.
Regular testing after 50 also supports early intervention. Research published in The Lancet identified hearing loss as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounting for an estimated 8 per cent of dementia cases worldwide. Treating hearing loss early with hearing aids or other interventions may reduce this risk, making routine screening a matter of both hearing health and cognitive health.
High-Risk Groups
Certain individuals should follow a more frequent hearing check schedule regardless of their age. Annual testing is recommended for people who fall into any of the following high-risk categories:
- People with a family history of genetic hearing loss
- Workers in industries with sustained noise exposure, including construction, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and live music production
- People who regularly use firearms or attend loud events without hearing protection
- Individuals with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or chronic kidney disease
- People taking ototoxic medications, including certain chemotherapy drugs, strong antibiotics, and high-dose aspirin
- Anyone who has previously been diagnosed with hearing loss or tinnitus
For these groups, annual hearing tests allow audiologists to track changes over time and adjust treatment plans before further damage occurs. Workers in noisy industries should also have their hearing tested before starting a new role, to establish an occupational baseline.
Risk Factors That Require More Frequent Testing
Occupational and Recreational Noise Exposure
Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most preventable forms of hearing damage, yet it remains widespread in Australia. Safe Work Australia sets the national exposure standard at 85 decibels averaged over an eight-hour workday. Exposure above this level without adequate hearing protection causes cumulative damage to the hair cells in the cochlea, the inner ear structure responsible for converting sound waves into nerve signals.
Common noise sources that exceed safe levels include power tools (100 decibels), live music events (110 decibels), and firearms (140 to 170 decibels). Even personal audio devices played at maximum volume can reach 105 decibels, enough to cause damage after just 15 minutes of exposure according to the World Health Organization.
If your work or hobbies regularly expose you to sounds above 85 decibels, annual hearing tests are essential. An audiologist can compare results year on year and identify noise-related threshold shifts early. You can read more about how noise affects hearing in our guide to hearing loss causes and types.
Family History of Hearing Loss
Genetic factors account for a significant proportion of hearing loss cases. If one or both of your parents experienced hearing loss, particularly at a younger age, your risk is measurably higher. Certain genetic conditions, such as otosclerosis and Usher syndrome, have well-documented hereditary patterns. Even age-related hearing loss has a genetic component, with research suggesting that 35 to 55 per cent of presbycusis cases involve inherited factors.
People with a family history of hearing loss should begin routine testing earlier than the general population, ideally in their thirties, and continue with annual or biennial assessments. Early detection means earlier access to treatment and better long-term outcomes.
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
The link between diabetes and hearing loss is well established in clinical research. A systematic review published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology found that people with diabetes are roughly twice as likely to experience hearing loss compared to those without the condition. The mechanism involves damage to the small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear, which is similar to the way diabetes affects other organs.
Cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, also affect hearing health. The inner ear depends on a robust blood supply to function correctly. When blood flow is compromised, the sensitive structures of the cochlea can deteriorate. Adults managing diabetes or cardiovascular disease should include hearing testing as part of their routine health monitoring, with an annual assessment recommended by both Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation.
Ototoxic Medications
More than 200 medications are classified as ototoxic, meaning they can damage the ear and cause hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance problems. Common ototoxic drugs include certain aminoglycoside antibiotics (such as gentamicin), platinum-based chemotherapy agents (cisplatin and carboplatin), loop diuretics, and high doses of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
If you are prescribed an ototoxic medication, your treating specialist should arrange baseline hearing testing before treatment begins and monitoring at regular intervals during the course of treatment. This allows any changes to be identified quickly and, where possible, the treatment plan adjusted to minimise further damage.
What Happens During a Routine Hearing Check
Understanding what a hearing test involves removes the uncertainty that keeps many people from booking one. A standard hearing assessment at a Melbourne audiology clinic follows a straightforward process.
First, the audiologist takes a case history. They ask about your hearing concerns, medical history, noise exposure, and any medications you are taking. This conversation helps the audiologist tailor the assessment to your specific situation.
Next comes an otoscopic examination. The audiologist uses a handheld instrument called an otoscope to look inside your ear canal and check for blockages, earwax impaction, infection, or structural abnormalities. If wax is blocking the ear canal, it may need to be removed before accurate testing can proceed.
The main testing phase is pure tone audiometry. You wear headphones seated in a sound-treated booth and respond to tones played at different frequencies and volumes by pressing a button. This test maps your hearing threshold at each frequency, producing an audiogram, which is a visual chart of your hearing ability across the speech frequency range.
Most assessments also include speech audiometry, where you repeat words played at varying volumes. This measures not just whether you can hear sounds, but how clearly you can understand speech. Some clinics also perform tympanometry, a quick test that assesses the function of your middle ear and eardrum mobility.
The entire appointment typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. After testing, the audiologist explains your results, discusses whether any hearing loss was detected, and recommends next steps if treatment is needed. You can take an initial step from home with our online hearing test, which can indicate whether a full in-clinic assessment is warranted.
Signs You Should Not Wait for Your Next Scheduled Test
Regardless of your regular hearing check schedule, certain symptoms mean you should book a test sooner rather than later. Seek an appointment promptly if you experience any of the following:
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, which is a medical emergency requiring assessment within 48 hours
- Persistent ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in one or both ears that does not resolve within a few days
- Noticeable difficulty understanding speech, particularly in group settings or noisy environments
- Pain, discharge, or bleeding from the ear
- Dizziness or balance problems that have developed recently
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss, when treated quickly, has a much higher rate of recovery. Waiting reduces the chances of restoring hearing. For gradual changes, the earlier you identify the loss, the more effective interventions like hearing aids tend to be.
Building Your Personal Hearing Check Schedule
To summarise the hearing screening guidelines, here is a practical hearing check schedule based on age and risk factors:
- Birth to age five: Screened at birth through the UNHS program, with follow-up tests before starting school
- Ages 6 to 17: Test if concerns arise, such as speech delays, attention difficulties, or recurrent ear infections
- Ages 18 to 50 with no risk factors: Every three to five years
- Ages 50 and over: Every one to two years
- High-risk individuals (noise exposure, diabetes, family history, ototoxic medications): Annually
- Anyone with existing hearing loss or tinnitus: Annually or as recommended by your audiologist
Following this schedule ensures that changes in your hearing are caught early, when interventions are most effective. If you are unsure which category applies to you, a qualified audiologist at one of our Melbourne clinic locations can advise you on the right testing interval for your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you get your hearing checked?
Adults aged 18 to 50 with no hearing concerns should have a hearing test every three to five years. Adults over 50 should be tested every one to two years. Children should be screened at birth, then at ages 4, 5, and periodically throughout school. People exposed to loud noise, with a family history of hearing loss, or with conditions like diabetes should be tested annually.
What age should you start getting regular hearing tests?
Hearing screening begins at birth through the Australian Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. Children should have follow-up tests at key developmental stages before starting school. Adults should establish a hearing baseline by age 30 and begin annual or biennial testing from age 50 onward, as age-related hearing loss becomes significantly more common after 50.
Do I need a hearing test if I have no symptoms?
Yes. Hearing loss often develops gradually, and many people do not notice changes until the loss is moderate to severe. Regular hearing checks detect changes early, when intervention is most effective. The Australian Department of Health recommends baseline testing for all adults, even without symptoms, because early detection leads to better outcomes.
How long does a routine hearing check take?
A standard hearing test takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. This includes a consultation about your hearing history, a physical examination of your ears, and the audiometric testing itself. A comprehensive hearing assessment may take up to 60 minutes if additional tests like speech-in-noise testing or tympanometry are required.
Works Cited
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. "Ear and Hearing Health." AIHW, Australian Government, 2024, aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/hearing-health.
Livingston, Gill, et al. "Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care: 2020 Report of the Lancet Commission." The Lancet, vol. 396, no. 10248, 2020, pp. 413-446.
Horikawa, Chika, et al. "Association of Diabetes With Hearing Impairment: A Meta-Analysis." Clinical Endocrinology, vol. 78, no. 2, 2013, pp. 186-195.
Safe Work Australia. "Noise." Australian Government, 2023, safeworkaustralia.gov.au/noise.
Hearing Australia. "Annual Report 2023-24." Australian Government, 2024, hearing.com.au.
World Health Organization. "Deafness and Hearing Loss." WHO, 2024, who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia." ABS, 2022, abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability.