Understanding the Hearing Test Process

If you’ve scheduled a hearing test for the first time in a few years, you might not be sure what to expect. However, the process is a relatively simple one. Most children and adults alike will have a pure-tone test conducted, which is the standard for assessing hearing levels. Other tests, such as speech and tympanometry, can check for earwax build ups, blockages what pitches you can hear. More information about these kinds of tests will be available on request from your audiologist. Here’s what you need to know about going for a pure-tone test.

You’ll Be Asked a Few Questions

The first thing your audiologist will do is ask about your current hearing health and your hearing history. This will help them to determine how comfortably you currently hear and if you have any symptoms of hearing loss throughout your day-to-day life. If you bring someone with you to the appointment, they may be able to help answer these questions if you’re not sure what to say yourself.

You’ll also be able to ask your own questions throughout the appointment. If you’re ever unsure about what’s going on or what your audiologist is telling you about your hearing health, you can ask for more information.

Audiologist May Carry Out a Visual Inspection of Your Ears

If this is your first time getting a hearing test done, it’s likely a physical examination of your ears will occur. Similarly, pure-tone testing often requires a physical examination to make sure this type of test is right for you. A physical exam will allow your audiologist to inspect the inside of your ear canal, through which they’ll be able to spot signs of an earwax buildup or an ear infection, as well as visual damage from other causes.

You’ll Undergo a Headphone Test

In a pure-tone test, you’ll be placed in a soundproof room and be given a pair of specialized headphones to wear. Sound stimuli will be played through these headphones, and you’ll be asked to respond whenever you hear something. Usually, you can do so verbally by simply saying yes, but sometimes you’ll be asked to just acknowledge the sounds by raising your hand.

Deciding if You Need a Hearing Aid

Depending on the results of this test, your audiologist will then walk you through your hearing level and whether or not they suspect hearing loss. You may need to go through more tests, some of which can be performed immediately afterwards, or you may be recommended hearing aids. There are three main types of hearing aids that your audiologist can discuss with you including, in the ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE) and in the canal (ITC).

You can talk through these options at length and decide which hearing aids will be beneficial for you, or the right treatment for your unique hearing profile. Hearing tests aren’t too complicated. If you want to discover more about your current hearing level, schedule an appointment with an audiologist.