Hearing loss is challenging, if not impossible, to self-diagnose. For instance, you can’t actually put your ear up to a speaker and subjectively evaluate what you hear. Which means that if you want to understand what’s going on with your hearing, you have to take a test.
But there’s no need to be concerned or stress because a hearing test is about as simple as putting on a high-tech pair of headphones.
But we get it, people don’t like tests. Whether you’re a high school student or middle-aged medical patient, tests are really just no fun. Taking a little time to get to know these tests can help you feel more prepared and, as a result, more comfortable. A hearing test is probably the easiest test you’ll ever have to take!
How is a hearing test performed?
We frequently talk about making an appointment with a hearing specialist to have your ears checked. And the phrase “hearing test” is something we’ve probably discussed on occasion. You may even be thinking, well, what are the two types of hearing tests?
Well, that’s a bit misleading. Because you might undergo a number of different types of hearing tests, as it turns out. Each one is designed to measure something different or provide you with a specific result. The hearing tests you’re most likely to experience include the following:
- Pure-tone audiometry: Most people are most likely familiar with this hearing test. You put on some headphones and you listen for a sound. Hear a pitch in your right ear? Put up 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, you can hear tones very well, but hearing speech is still somewhat challenging. Speech is generally a more complex audio range so it can be more difficult to hear clearly. This test also consists of a pair 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: Needless to say, conversations in the real world occur in settings where other sounds are present. The only actual difference between this test and the Speech audiometry test is that it is carried out in a noisy setting. This can help you figure out how well your hearing is working in real-world scenarios.
- Bone conduction testing: How well your inner ear is working will be determined by this test. A small sensor is placed near your cochlea and another is put on your forehead. A small device then receives sounds. This test tracks how well those sound vibrations travel through your inner ear. If this test determines that sound is traveling through your ear effectively it may indicate that you have a blockage.
- Tympanometry: Sometimes, we’ll want to check the general health of your eardrum. This is done using a test called tympanometry. Air will be gently blown into your ear in order to measure how much movement your eardrum has. The results of this test can indicate 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. It all occurs by reflex, which means that your muscle movements can reveal a lot about how well your middle ear is working.
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): The ability of your inner ear and brain to respond to sound is measured by an ABR test. To achieve this test, a couple of electrodes are tactically placed on your skull. Don’t worry, though! This test is completely painless. It’s one of the reasons why ABR testing is used on everyone from grandparents to newborns!
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing: This diagnostic is made to determine how well your cochlea and inner ear are functioning. This is accomplished by measuring sound that echo’s back to your middle ear from your inner ear. This can detect whether your cochlea is working or, in some cases, if your ear is blocked.
What do the results of hearing tests reveal?
You probably won’t need to get all of these hearing tests. We will choose one or two tests that best address your symptoms and then go from there.
When we test your hearing, what are we looking for? A hearing test can sometimes expose the cause of your hearing loss. In other situations, the test you take might simply eliminate other possible causes. Essentially, we will get to the bottom of any hearing loss symptoms you are experiencing.
Here are some things that your hearing test can reveal:
- Which wavelengths of sound you have the most difficult time hearing (some individuals have a hard time hearing high wavelengths; others have a hard time hearing low pitches).
- Which treatment approach will be best for your hearing loss: We will be more effectively able to treat your hearing loss once we’ve determined the cause.
- Whether you’re experiencing symptoms associated with hearing loss or hearing loss itself.
- How much your hearing loss has advanced and how serious it is.
Is there a difference between a hearing screening and a hearing test? The difference between a quiz and a test is an apt analogy. A screening is rather superficial. A test is made to provide usable data.
The sooner you get tested, the better
That’s why it’s important to schedule a hearing test when you first observe symptoms. Don’t worry, this test won’t be super stressful, and you don’t have to study. Nor are hearing tests intrusive or generally painful. If you’re wondering, what you shouldn’t do before you get a hearing test, don’t worry, we will provide you with all of that information.
It’s simple, just call and schedule an appointment.
