What to Expect During Your Hearing Test

Hearing loss can be a touchy subject. A lot of people who reach out to hearing health professionals may do so with some trepidation. In many cases, we’re not even aware that we are afflicted by hearing loss until it has already become quite advanced. Rarely do we notice it. It tends to be incremental, creeping up on us over a period of years, or even decades.

Yet, over time all those missed snippets of conversations, all those times friends winced when we were talking at what we thought was a normal volume, and all those times the neighbors politely asked us to turn the TV or radio down all add up.

Going into your first hearing test can be a source of some anxiety, and for many it helps to know exactly what to expect. Thus, we’ve compiled this guide to what you can expect from your hearing health professional when you book a hearing test.

Family history

There are many causes of hearing loss. Some are caused by our environment; working in noisy jobs or engaging in noisy hobbies without proper hearing protection can cause gradual degradation of the hearing. However, there are also causes which are hereditary. As such, before testing begins they will likely want to talk to you about your family medical history and any lifestyle factors which may contribute to your hearing loss.

Otoscopy testing

Your hearing care professional will want to take a close look at the ear canal and ear drum using a tool called an otoscope to see inside your ear. They will know which signs to look for that could point to hearing loss such as excessive earwax buildup, hardened earwax deposits or other obstructions. Signs of infection or of rupturing of the eardrum can also be contributing factors.

The tympanometry test

This test evaluates middle ear function and identifies any potential abnormalities in inner ear fluid that could impede the free movement of the eardrum, thereby causing hearing loss. In this non-invasive test, a tiny amount of pressure is applied to the eardrum to gauge its response.

The audiometry test

The final test will be an audiometry test. Here, you will be placed in a quiet room where you sit with the hearing care professional and wear a pair of noise cancelling earphones. A series of tones will be played back to you in each ear. The sounds start off very soft, growing louder and louder. You will have a button to press to indicate that you can hear a particular frequency. This gives your hearing care professional the raw data which is used to calibrate your hearing instrument.

Are there any other tests which could be carried out?

In some rare cases, these tests may not be adequate or appropriate to determine the cause of your hearing loss. Your hearing care professional may deem then refer you to a neuroradiology specialist for a CAT or MRI scan. These tests will help to determine whether your hearing loss is caused by problems with the brain rather than the ears themselves. This will help them to get a more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment.

Whatever the cause and extent of your hearing loss, a hearing care professional will help you to  decide on an appropriate hearing instrument or course of treatment to help you to mitigate it.