Where you work also factors into how often you need to get your hearing checked. Continuous exposure to loud noise can cause you to lose your hearing little by little over time — and this hearing loss can be permanent.
If you have concerns about hearing loss, it’s best to bring them up to your doctor. From there, your doctor may refer you for additional lab tests or to an audiologist.
An audiologist usually assesses all aspects of hearing. Your hearing history will likely be taken, and your ears will likely be examined. You may have lab tests. You’ll also typically have hearing-specific tests, including audiometry, speech reception and word recognition.
If it looks like you have hearing loss, the doctor or audiologist will usually evaluate your signs and symptoms and see if other medical conditions may be causing the hearing loss. The exam will also help show how severe the hearing loss is and what treatment would help most. | 
