Everything You Need to Know About Hearing Exams

If you suspect that you have hearing loss, you are not alone. In fact, almost 50-million Americans experience hearing loss to some degree. Booking a hearing test with a hearing health professional is the first step toward managing the issue.

So, what should you expect from visiting your hearing health professional? Here’s all you need to know.

Preparing for a Hearing Exam

Hearing examination appointments can be a little daunting, but mainly because you don’t know what to expect or feel unprepared. You can instantly make the process less stressful by choosing a reputable local hearing health provider that boasts a solid track record.

Following this, you can prepare for your hearing tests by taking the steps below:

• Avoid exposure to loud environments like music gigs for 24-48 hours before the hearing test.
• Write down some notes about your family hearing health, general health and hearing loss symptoms.
• Consider taking a friend in case you do not hear everything that the hearing health professional tells you.
• Be ready for the results. If you suspect that you have hearing loss, it’s likely that you do.

The good news is that hearing tests are non-invasive and painless. So, you have nothing to fear. Better still, the results will subsequently allow you to find the right hearing aids or management for your level of hearing loss.

The Types of Hearing Exams You May Face

When undergoing a hearing exam, the hearing health provider will tailor the procedure depending on the individual circumstances. As such, one patient may face different tests than another person. However, the most common exams include:

• Pure-tone testing: When you have sounds played to you through headphones and press a button when you hear a noise. It picks up the range of tones and frequencies that you can hear.
• Speech testing: A similar hearing exam but you are asked to repeat words and phrases. Background noise may be added to analyze how you distinguish speech from other sounds.
• Otoscopy: A hearing health provider will check the eardrum and ear canal with an otoscope to look for infection, wax buildups or abnormalities. This is accompanied by inspecting the outer ear.
• Tympanometry: Using a tympanometer, the hearing healthcare professional will analyze how your eardrum responds to sounds when the pressure inside your ear is changed. It can spot fluid abnormalities too.

In addition to hearing tests for hearing loss, the hearing healthcare professional can discuss any symptoms of tinnitus that you may have experienced.

The Hearing Exam Results

Generally speaking, hearing tests last for around one hour, which includes analyzing the results. By collecting and collating the data from several examinations, the hearing health provider can identify your level of hearing loss and help you consider the next steps.

If you have healthy hearing, there is not much else to do other than continue to take care of your hearing by wearing ear defenders in the appropriate situations. If hearing loss is detected, hearing aids can be prescribed and a fittings appointment can be booked for once they are ready.