Diagnosing hearing loss by yourself is pretty much impossible. As an example, you can’t really measure your level of hearing by merely putting your ear next to a speaker. So getting a hearing test will be vital in understanding what’s happening with your hearing.
Now, before you begin sweating or fidgeting anxiously, it’s significant to mention that most hearing tests are rather easy and involve nothing more challenging than putting on a pair of fancy headphones.
Okay, tests aren’t everyone’s favorite thing to do. Tests are generally no fun for anybody of any age. You will be more relaxed and more prepared if you take a little time to get to know these tests. There’s virtually no test easier to take than a hearing test!
How is a hearing test done?
Talking about scheduling an appointment to get a hearing assessment is something that is not that uncommon. And the phrase “hearing test” is something we’ve probably talked about occasionally. You might even be thinking, well, what are the two types of hearing tests?
Well, that’s not completely accurate. Because it turns out there are a number of different hearing tests you may undergo. Each of these tests will provide you with a particular result and is created to measure something different. Here are some of the hearing tests you’re likely to encounter:
- Pure-tone audiometry: This is the hearing test you’re likely most familiar with. You listen for a sound on a pair of headphones. Hear a pitch in your right ear? Raise your right hand. Hear the tone in your left ear? Same thing! This will test your ability to hear a variety of frequencies at a variety of volumes. It will also measure whether you have more significant hearing loss in one ear than the other.
- Speech audiometry: In some cases, hearing speech is an issue 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. Instead of making you focus on tones, this test will be comprised of audible speech at different volumes to detect the lowest level you can hear a word and still understand it.
- Speech and Noise-in-Words Tests: Naturally, real-world conversations almost never occur in a vacuum. The only real difference between this test and the Speech audiometry test is that it is carried out in a noisy setting. This mimics real-world situations to help determine how your hearing is working in those situations.
- Bone conduction testing: How well your inner ear is functioning will be determined by this test. A little sensor is placed near your cochlea and another is placed on your forehead. Sound is then transmitted through a small device. How efficiently sound vibrations travel through the ear is tracked by this test. This test can usually identify whether there is a blockage in your ear (ex: if you can’t hear, but your inner ear is working fine there may be some kind of obstruction hindering the sounds).
- Tympanometry: The general health of your eardrum sometimes requires testing. Tympanometry is a test that is utilized for this purpose. Air will be gently blown into your ear so that we can measure how much movement your eardrum has. If you have fluid behind your eardrum, or a hole in your eardrum, this is the test that will identify that.
- Acoustic Reflex Measures: A tiny device measures the muscle feedback of your inner ear after delivering sound to it. The reflexive reaction of the muscle movement of your inner ear will help us determine how well it’s working.
- 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. Don’t worry, though! This test is entirely painless. That’s why everyone from newborns to grandparents get this test.
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing: This diagnostic is designed to measure how well your cochlea and inner ear are working. This is achieved by tracking sound that echo’s back to your middle ear from your inner ear. If your cochlea isn’t working efficiently or there’s an obstruction, this test will detect it.
What do the results of hearing tests reveal?
It’s likely, you probably won’t take every single one of these hearing tests. We will choose one or two tests that best address your symptoms and then go from there.
What are we looking for in a hearing test? A hearing test can sometimes reveal the cause of your hearing loss. In other cases, the test you take may just eliminate other possible causes. Whatever hearing loss symptoms you’re noticing will ultimately be determined.
Generally, your hearing test will reveal:
- How profound your hearing loss is (or, if you’ve had numerous tests over the years, how your hearing loss might have progressed).
- Whether you’re dealing with symptoms associated with hearing loss or hearing loss itself.
- Which wavelengths of sound you have the hardest time hearing (some people have a hard time hearing high frequencies; other people have a tough time hearing low sounds).
- Which treatment strategy will be best for your hearing loss: We will be more effectively able to address your hearing loss once we’ve established the cause.
What is the difference between a hearing test and a hearing screening? It’s kind of like the difference between a quiz and a test. A screening is rather superficial. A test is made to provide usable information.
The sooner you take this test, the better
So as soon as you notice symptoms, you need to schedule a hearing test. Take it easy, you won’t need to study, and the test isn’t stressful. And the tests aren’t unpleasant or intrusive. We will give you all of the information about what to do and not to do before your hearing test.
Which means hearing tests are pretty easy, all you need to do is schedule them.
