Learn what to expect when you have your hearing tested
Getting your hearing tested at Audiology and Hearing Aid Center is an essential piece to treating hearing loss! If you are concerned about your hearing, the first step to take is to have a hearing test with one of our experienced audiologists.
Our hearing test takes approximately 30 minutes and is performed in a soundproof booth to ensure accuracy. Because hearing tests are an important part of determining your hearing loss, all of our equipment is updated and calibrated annually. We realize how important hearing health is, which is why our facility is able to provide hearing tests for individuals of all age groups!
What to expect during a hearing test
Many people are nervous for their first hearing tests, mainly because they don’t know what to expect. A hearing test is a very simple, non-invasive procedure that consists of listening to a series of sounds and patterns.
Generally, you will wear earphones or other devices designed to emit specific frequencies and volumes of sound. Our audiologist will keep a record of the sounds you can and cannot hear. Your results are then provided on an audiogram, which is a detailed description of your hearing ability.
While audiograms can provide a glimpse into why individuals are developing hearing loss, hearing specialists usually combine these results with the medical background you provided to paint a picture of the cause of your hearing loss. People lose their hearing for many reasons, but the most common are age, exposure to loud noise, ear disease and heredity.
Do online hearing tests work?
Recently, hearing tests have become popular on the internet, using a computer and speakers or earphones. While these types of “hearing tests” are fine for an experiment about your hearing, experts recommend a complete hearing test at a professional office to determine how severe your hearing loss is and how to treat it.
The purpose of the test is to determine when patients should get help with their hearing in the form of a hearing aid. It is important to have your hearing evaluated and treated by a professional to ensure you are receiving the best care and products possible.
Are there other hearing tests?
A hearing test can help determine which sounds and environments are most challenging for you. Perhaps hearing voices in a large room is difficult; or, listeners might have trouble hearing high-pitched sounds in all circumstances.
If more thorough results are required, a pure-tone test might be utilized. This test is another easy one and simply involves placing an instrument behind the ear and sending vibrations through the bone to the inner ear. Pure-tone testing further allows our audiologist to detail specific results to help determine your level of hearing loss.
Understanding your audiogram
The results of a hearing test are charted on a graph that basically shows your hearing loss level, from none to profound. Hearing loss is generally graded normal, mild, moderate, severe or profound. An audiogram shows the loss of hearing at each volume and frequency as a running graphic line that falls within this range.
These tests are done on one ear at a time. This is crucial to treating your hearing loss because hearing aids work in concert with each other if they are needed in both ears. Technology today allows audiologists to get very detailed information on each ear, independently, then recommend hearing aids that are best matched to the hearing loss in each ear.
How often do you need a hearing test?
Another thing to remember: your hearing can change and a test is not definitive forever. The test tells very detailed information for a moment in time and that is how your recommendations are made. After testing, you may be fitted for hearing aids and our professionals will make sure they are programmed for your hearing loss and lifestyle preferences.
Having your hearing tested is an important and critical step to helping you hear better again! If you have an questions or are ready to schedule your hearing test, contact our office to schedule your appointment today!