4 FAQs About Hearing Tests

If you’ve got a hearing test scheduled, you may be wondering what to expect from this appointment. Luckily, these tests are painless and non-invasive and will provide important insight into the condition of your auditory system. Consider the following four frequently asked questions to better understand what will occur during this test.

What happens during the hearing test?

When you come for your hearing test, it will happen across a few different stages to ensure that all of the relevant bases are covered. To begin with, you will be asked about your medical history, your general lifestyle and any problems that you’ve been having with your hearing recently. After that, an otoscope is used to visually assess the inside of the ear. This can find wax problems and any damage in there.

A probe can then be used to carry out a pressure test. This reveals how the ear responds when pressure is put on it. And at the end of the hearing test, there will be a test using voices and tones to assess how wide your range of hearing is. After that, the process is over and the hearing test is complete.

What should I do to prepare for it?

There are a few things you can do to properly prepare for your hearing test. It’s helpful for the audiologist if you have an answer ready regarding any problems you’ve been having or symptoms you’ve been experiencing. Some people like to write down answers to these questions so they don’t miss anything important out.

Other than that, there is no much you need to do before your test because your audiologist will cover everything else. Don’t hesitate to ask the audiologist to speak up if you’re worried that your hearing problems will mean that you’re not able to hear what they’re saying during the test. You can also bring a family member or friend with you to the appointment.

How often are they necessary?

Your hearing is something that can change over time, and that process tends to accelerate as you get older. That’s why it’s important to have regular hearing tests to see how your hearing is developing and what kinds of change are taking place. It’s recommended that you attend a hearing test about once a year so changes can be tracked over time.

If you have hearing problems that you need to keep on top of, you might want to have assessments more regularly than that. This is something that you can discuss with your audiologist when you attend your appointment. They’ll be more than happy to offer you advice on what the best path forward is.

What happens next if hearing loss problems are found?

Many people worry that hearing loss problems will be found when they attend hearing test. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will be the case, but if it is, it’s good to know so treatment can be implemented. You will get your results right away because there is not normally any delay when it comes to hearing tests.

After you have been given a diagnosis, there will be a range of treatment options that are discussed with you. What these treatment options are will of course depend on your results and what your hearing requirements are going forward from here.