Diagnosing hearing loss by yourself is basically impossible. For example, you can’t really put your ear next to a speaker and effectively evaluate what you hear. That 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 out because a hearing test is about as simple as putting on a high-tech set of headphones.
Alright, tests aren’t everyone’s favorite thing to do. Tests are generally no fun for anyone of any age. Taking a little time to get to know these tests can help you feel more prepared and, as a result, more relaxed. A hearing test is about the simplest test you’ll ever take!
How is a hearing test performed?
Talking about scheduling an appointment to get a hearing assessment is something that isn’t that uncommon. And we’ve likely used the phrase “hearing test” once or twice. You might even be thinking, well, what are the 2 types of hearing tests?
Well, that’s not quite accurate. Because you might undergo a number of different kinds of hearing tests, as it turns out. Each one is made to measure something different or give you a specific result. Here are a few of the hearing tests you’re likely to encounter:
- Pure-tone audiometry: Most people are most likely familiar with this hearing test. You wear some headphones and you listen for a tone. Hear a tone 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 something challenging. Speech is typically a more complex audio spectrum so it can be harder to hear clearly. During a speech audiometry test, you’ll be brought into a quiet room and will, once again, be instructed to put on some headphones. Instead of making you listen to tones, this test will consist of audible speech at various volumes to detect the lowest level you can hear a word and still comprehend it.
- Speech and Noise-in-Words Tests: Needless to say, conversations in the real world take place in settings where there are other sounds. A speech and noise-in-words test will go through the same procedure as speech audiometry, but the test takes place in a noisy room rather than a quiet one. This mimics real-world situations to help figure out how your hearing is working in those settings.
- Bone conduction testing: How well your inner ear is functioning will be established by this test. A little sensor is placed next to your cochlea and another is put on your forehead. Sound is then transmitted through a small device. This test tracks how well those sound vibrations move through your inner ear. This test can often detect whether there is a blockage in your ear (ex: if you’re unable to hear, but your inner ear is working perfectly there may be some sort of obstruction hindering the sounds).
- Tympanometry: Occasionally, we’ll want to check the general health of your eardrum. Tympanometry is a test that is used for this purpose. During this test, a little device will gently push air into your ear and measure exactly how much your eardrum moves. 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. It all happens by reflex, which means that the movements of your muscles can tell us a lot about how well your middle ear is working.
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): An ABR test attempts to measure how well the brain and inner ear are reacting to sound. To accomplish this test, a couple of electrodes are strategically placed on your skull. This test is entirely painless so don’t worry. That’s why everyone from newborns to grandparents get this test.
- Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing: This type of testing will help determine if your inner ear and cochlea are working effectively. It does this by measuring the sound waves that echo back from your inner ear into your middle ear. If your cochlea isn’t working properly or there’s a blockage, this test will detect it.
What can we learn from hearing test results?
Chances are, you usually won’t take every single one of these hearing tests. Usually, your specific symptoms will dictate which of these tests will be relevant.
What do we look for in a hearing test? Well, sometimes the tests you take will expose the underlying cause of your hearing loss. The hearing test you get can, in other cases, simply help us eliminate other causes. Whatever hearing loss symptoms you’re experiencing will ultimately be determined.
Here are some things that your hearing test can uncover:
- How much your hearing loss has progressed and how significant it is.
- Whether you’re dealing with symptoms related to hearing loss or hearing loss itself.
- Which treatment approach is best for your hearing loss: Once we’ve identified what’s causing your hearing loss, we’ll be able to more effectively provide treatment solutions.
- Whether your hearing loss is in a specific frequency range.
What’s the difference between a hearing test and a hearing screening? It’s sort of like the difference between a quiz and a test. A screening is really superficial. A test is much more in-depth and can provide usable information.
The sooner you get tested, the better
That’s why it’s essential to schedule a hearing test as soon as you detect symptoms. Don’t worry, this test won’t be very stressful, and you won’t need to study. Nor are hearing tests intrusive or generally painful. If you’re wondering, what should I not do before a hearing test, don’t worry, we will provide you with all of that information.
Which means hearing tests are quite easy, all you need to do is schedule them.
