What to Expect from a Comprehensive Hearing Test

There are a variety of hearing tests. They are designed to assess your hearing health in various ways. The test checks the physical health of your ears and measures your hearing to determine if you have any hearing loss. Some might carry out more basic tests, but a comprehensive hearing test should use multiple methods to assess your hearing. Having your hearing tested for the first time might make you feel a little anxious, but there’s nothing to be worried about. If you want to feel more confident about having your hearing test, it helps to understand exactly what the test is going to involve.

Medical History

Your audiologist will probably start by ensuring they have a good picture of your medical history. You might share your medical notes with them, or you might be referred to the audiologist from your primary care physician. The audiologist will want to know whether there is any family history of hearing loss or related medical conditions. This will help them to build a full picture of your hearing health and your health in general.

Physical Examination

A hearing test may start with a physical examination of your ears. Audiologists use a tool called an otoscope to look inside your ears and check for any health problems. They are looking for signs of issues such as infections, which could affect your hearing.

Audiogram

The core part of a hearing test determines what volumes and pitches you can hear. During this test, you will wear headphones and different sounds will be played to you. You will be asked to indicate when you can hear a sound and this will be recorded on a graph called an audiogram. The audiogram will show your level of hearing loss, if there is any, ranging from mild to profound. Each ear is tested one at a time so that the audiologist gets an accurate assessment of what you can hear. This can be important later on if you are prescribed hearing aids as they will need to be programmed differently for each ear.
The audiogram will show your hearing plotted on a graph, with volume in decibels on one axis and frequency in hertz on the other axis. Your audiologist will explain what the graph shows about your hearing and whether there is any hearing loss present. They can then discuss. An audiologist will use a comfortable soundproof booth to carry out these tests. This and their up-to-date testing equipment ensure accuracy with every test. The test takes about 30 minutes and is non-invasive.

Speech Testing

As well as having an overall view of your hearing health, it’s important to understand whether you can hear different sounds and how different environments may affect you. Speech is one of the most important things that we need to hear and understand every day, which is why audiologists will often carry out a speech audiogram. This tests your ability to hear and understand speech. It can include both listening to these sounds in a quiet environment and with background noise.

Pure-Tone Testing

Another test that might be used is a pure-tone test. In a pure-tone test, instead of using headphones, a device is placed behind the ear. This device vibrates sound through the bone to send it directly to the inner ear. This test helps to provide further details about your hearing, any hearing loss that might be present and what the cause of the hearing loss could be.

What Happens After Testing?

If your hearing test reveals hearing loss, your audiologist might recommend hearing aids. Hearing aids won’t cure hearing loss, but they do amplify sound so that you can receive a better hearing experience. If hearing aids are right for you, you will be able to learn about the different types available and receive guidance on choosing the right ones for your needs. A hearing aid fitting will ensure your hearing aids are programmed for your level of hearing loss and fit comfortably.

It’s important to have regular tests, especially if you already know that you have hearing loss. Your hearing can change over time and hearing tests can reveal any changes that might have taken place. Routine hearing tests allow for making adjustment to your hearing aids as needed. Speak to your audiologist about how often you should schedule a test.

If you want to learn more about what to expect from a comprehensive hearing test get in touch with Audiology and Hearing Aid Center to make an appointment. Call us today at (920) 486-6922.