What Happens During a Hearing Test Appointment?

Just like you regularly visit the eye doctor, it’s important to schedule hearing tests to ensure your hearing is healthy. As you age, hearing loss can happen slowly, often without you realizing it. When you go for a hearing test, a hearing health professional will assess your hearing and help maintain its quality. While hearing loss can’t be reversed, they focus on finding ways to minimize further loss and improve your hearing with the help of technology, like hearing aids or other assistive devices. Regular testing is key to keeping your hearing at its best.

Physical Examination of Your Ears

During a hearing test appointment, one of the first things a hearing health professional will do is a physical examination of your ears. This simple check helps them look for any visible issues that could be affecting your hearing, like earwax buildup or signs of infection. Your hearing health professional will use a tool called an otoscope to gently look into your ear canal. It’s a quick, painless process that allows them to make sure there’s nothing blocking sound from reaching your eardrum or causing discomfort.

The Hearing Test Process

Hearing tests involve different evaluations that work together to give a complete picture of your hearing health. One key test is pure-tone audiometry, where you wear headphones and listen for sounds at various pitches. You’ll be asked to signal whenever you hear a sound, helping your hearing health professional determine the quietest sounds you can detect at different frequencies. This gives insight into your hearing sensitivity across a range of pitches.

Another important part of the test is speech testing, where you’ll listen to words or phrases and repeat them back. This helps evaluate how well you understand speech, even in situations with background noise. Finally, a tympanometry test checks the movement of your eardrum by gently adjusting the air pressure in your ear. This test helps identify middle ear issues like fluid buildup or pressure problems, which can affect your hearing.

Reviewing The Results

After the tests, your hearing health professional will go over the results with you. They’ll show you an audiogram, which is a graph that displays the levels you can hear. It might look confusing at first, but they’ll explain what it means and what each part of the graph represents.

If there’s any hearing loss, your hearing health professional will discuss possible solutions. Hearing aids are a common option, and they’ve become more advanced over time. These devices are now smaller, more discreet and some can even connect to your phone. Your hearing health professional will help you find the best solution for your needs.

Creating A Personalized Plan

After reviewing your results, your hearing health professional will discuss a plan based on your needs. If hearing aids are suggested, they’ll go over the different types and features. If the issue is something temporary, like earwax buildup, they’ll give you advice on how to manage it and they can provide a professional cleaning. Your hearing care provider will make sure you leave the appointment with a clear understanding of your hearing health and the next steps.