Hearing loss is challenging, if not impossible, to self-diagnose. For instance, you can’t really put your ear up to a speaker and effectively calculate what you hear. So getting a hearing test will be crucial in figuring out what’s happening with your hearing.
Now, before you start sweating or fidgeting anxiously, it’s significant to point out that the majority of hearing tests are quite easy and require nothing more taxing than wearing a pair of fancy headphones.
Okay, tests aren’t everyone’s favorite thing to do. Whether you’re a student or middle-aged medical patient, tests are really just no fun. You will be more comfortable and more ready if you take some time to get to know these tests. A hearing test is about the easiest test you’ll ever take!
How is a hearing test performed?
Talking about scheduling an appointment to have a hearing test is something that is not that uncommon. And we’ve probably used the phrase “hearing test” a couple of times. Maybe, you’ve heard that there are two types of hearing tests and you’re wondering what they are all about.
Well, that’s not completely accurate. Because as it happens, there are a number of different hearing tests you may undergo. Each of these tests will give you a specific result and is created to measure something different. The hearing tests you’re most likely to experience include the following:
- Pure-tone audiometry: This is the hearing test you’re likely most aware of. You wear some headphones and you listen for a sound. Hear a pitch in your right ear? Put up your right hand. Hear the pitch in your left ear? Same thing! This will test your ability to hear a variety of wavelengths at a variety of volumes. And if you have more profound hearing loss in one ear, this test will also determine that.
- Speech audiometry: In some cases, hearing speech is a problem for you despite the fact that you can hear tones just fine. That’s because speech is generally more complex! This test also is comprised of a set of headphones in a quiet room. You will listen to speech at different volumes to determine the lowest volume you can hear words and clearly comprehend them.
- Speech and Noise-in-Words Tests: Of course, real-world conversations almost never occur in a vacuum. A speech and noise-in-words test will go through the same process as speech audiometry, but the test occurs in a noisy room rather than a quiet one. This can help you figure out how well your hearing is functioning in real-world situations.
- Bone conduction testing: How well your inner ear is functioning will be established by this test. Two small sensors are placed, one on your forehead, and the other on your cochlea. Sound is then transmitted through a small device. This test assesses how well those sound vibrations travel through your inner ear. If this test establishes that sound is traveling through your ear effectively it could indicate that you have a blockage.
- Tympanometry: On occasion, we’ll want to test the overall health of your eardrum. Tympanometry is a test that is used for this purpose. Air will be gently blown into your ear in order to measure how much movement your eardrum has. The results of this test can identify whether there’s a hole in your eardrum, fluid behind your eardrum membrane, and more.
- Acoustic Reflex Measures: During this test, a tiny device delivers sound to your ear and measures the muscle response of your inner ear. The reflexive reaction of the muscle movement of your inner ear will help us identify how well it’s functioning.
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): The ability of your inner ear and brain to react to sound is measured by an ABR test. To achieve this test, a couple of electrodes are strategically placed on your skull. This test is totally painless so don’t worry. It’s one of the reasons why ABR testing is used on people from grandparents to newborns!
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing: This diagnostic is designed to track how well your cochlea and inner ear are functioning. This is accomplished by tracking sound that echo’s back to your middle ear from your inner ear. This can identify whether your cochlea is working or, in some situations, if your ear is blocked.
What can we learn from hearing test results?
You probably won’t have to get all of these hearing tests. Generally, your particular symptoms will determine which of these tests will be appropriate.
When we test your hearing, what are we looking for? A hearing test can sometimes uncover the cause of your hearing loss. In other circumstances, the test you take might just rule out other possible causes. Essentially, we will get to the bottom of any hearing loss symptoms you are experiencing.
In general, your hearing test will reveal:
- How serious your hearing loss is (or, if you’ve had numerous tests over the years, how your hearing loss might have progressed).
- Whether you are dealing with hearing loss or experiencing the symptoms related to hearing loss.
- Which frequency of sound you have the hardest time hearing (some people have a difficult time hearing high frequencies; other people have a hard time hearing low pitches).
- Which treatment strategy is best for your hearing loss: We will be more effectively able to address your hearing loss once we’ve established the cause.
Is there a difference between a hearing screening and a hearing test? The difference between a quiz and a test is an apt example. A screening is really superficial. A test is much more in-depth and can supply usable data.
The sooner you take this test, the better
That’s why it’s important to schedule a hearing test as soon as you detect symptoms. Don’t worry, this test isn’t going to be super stressful, and you don’t need to study. Nor are hearing tests intrusive or generally painful. If you’re wondering, what you shouldn’t do before a hearing test, don’t worry, we will have all of that information for you.
It’s simple, just call and schedule an appointment.