Hearing tests aren’t just about finding out if you need hearing aids. They provide a complete picture of hearing health and can detect issues that might not be obvious. Let’s take a look at what you can expect from a hearing exam to help you set expectations for your next visit.
The Three Types of Hearing Tests
The three hearing tests you’re likely to encounter in a hearing exam include:
- Pure-tone testing. Pure-tone testing, or audiometry, measures hearing sensitivity at different frequencies. During the test, you’ll wear headphones, listen for soft beeps and press a button whenever you hear a sound. The results create an audiogram, showing which frequencies are more challenging to detect.
- Speech testing. When you hear a sound, it isn’t just your ears that process it. It’s also the auditory processing part of your brain. Speech testing addresses how well you process sounds you hear. Your specialist will play words and sentences at various volume levels and ask you to repeat them. They may play some words with background noise to simulate real-life listening environments like busy days at Cake’s Cafe. If your pure-tone test doesn’t reveal hearing issues but your speech testing indicates trouble understanding speech, it could indicate auditory processing disorder—a condition where the brain struggles to interpret the sounds it hears.
- Tympanometry. Tympanometry checks for fluid buildup, eardrum stiffness or blockages. Your specialist will play a low tone and use a small probe to blow air into the ear canal to measure how well the eardrum moves in response to pressure changes.
Hearing Loss Treatment Consultation
If your hearing tests reveal hearing loss, your specialist will discuss a range of treatment options tailored to your specific needs. Your treatment options may involve one or more of the following solutions:
- Exploring different styles and features of hearing aids, from behind-the-ear models to nearly invisible in-ear options
- Starting auditory training to help improve your brain’s ability to process and understand speech, especially in noisy environments
- Addressing ear infections, fluid buildup, excessive earwax or other causes of middle ear hearing loss to improve hearing clarity
Setting expectations for your hearing exam can help you confidently approach the process. To learn more about hearing loss testing and treatment, contact Southwestern Hearing & Balance today.