3 Hearing Test Essentials You Should Know About

November 11, 2021

Since hearing loss can happen to any one of us at any time during our lifespan, hearing tests may be required. Oftentimes, people aren’t even aware that they suffer from hearing loss, most likely because they’ve gotten used to missing softer sounds.

Hearing loss can be hereditary, it may be caused by many environmental factors, or simply caused by aging and/or illness. It’s an incredibly common condition that impacts many people today.

What it means to have a hearing impairment varies from person to person and from situation to situation. Many people with hearing loss experience barriers to communication and participation in their daily lives.

Regardless of whether you’re able to recognize the signs of hearing loss or you have difficulties doing so, having a hearing test is essential. The first step is to make an appointment with an audiologist and check your hearing health.

In this article, we offer an overview of things you should know about hearing tests, the process involved, and how helpful they are.

Meeting the Audiologist

Getting a hearing test is painless and non-invasive, takes little time and you get direct feedback from your audiologist about what the test shows. Everyone’s hearing is different and the problems may vary from person to person. An audiologist will test out your level of hearing at different frequencies and determine what your possible hearing problems may be due to.

A hearing loss test lays the foundation for the overall picture of your hearing that your audiologist develops together with you. Here they will take into account what problems you have, how you live and the work you do.

The audiologist might also examine the eardrum in different ways. For example, they’ll look at the eardrum with a special lamp with a magnifier, or with a so-called ear microscope. The mobility of the eardrum and the pressure inside the eardrum can also be examined with a so-called tympanometer. With the help of a weak tone and a short pressure change, it registers if the mobility of the eardrum is unchanged or reduced.

Audiograms

An audiogram is a graph that shows the faintest sounds a person can hear at specific frequencies. These sounds are plotted in a chart called an audiogram. The audiogram shows which audio frequencies you can hear and at what volume and it gives the audiologist a good idea of how severe your hearing loss is and ultimately serves as a basis for appropriate treatment.

The audiogram not only helps determine different types of hearing impairments, but it’s also important when deciding on what hearing aid would be suitable. The hearing test is not only an important part of the diagnosis but also a part of the counseling process. Based on your experiences and your hearing curve, the audiologist suggests different hearing aids and models that could be the right fit.

The audiologist orders the hearing aids and at the following appointment, the patient can take the hearing aids home to learn how to use them and see if they’re working for them. It’s very important to use them every day so that the brain will adapt to all the new sounds and that the patient can simply get used to them.

How Often Should I Get A Hearing Test?

There are a few different recommendations about how often you should do a hearing test. Newborns, children, and young people’s hearing is regularly checked by the healthcare and school. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends adults between the ages of 18-40, who are not experiencing any noticeable hearing loss, have a hearing screening every 3-5 years. If a person is older or has hearing loss, they should test their hearing more often.

It’s common knowledge today that early diagnosis improves the prognosis for rehabilitation and leads to better health for you. Even if you don’t fit into the categories above and still feel that your hearing has deteriorated or been affected in some other way, you should seek help for it and the first step is to perform a hearing test. If your hearing quickly deteriorates, for example in one ear, consult a doctor as soon as you can.

Final Thoughts

Our hearing sense is of enormous importance for everything we do in our everyday lives. We use it in our communication with other people, it allows us to enjoy the pleasant sounds of music and nature. Having the ability to hear provides us with information and warns us about possible dangers.

However, it’s sensitive as high volumes, but various factors can also contribute to deteriorated or damaged hearing. Having a hearing test doesn’t take long and it’s at least as important to your overall health as other regular health check-ups.