When it comes to your hearing health, a visit with a professional is the first step toward better communication and improved listening. If you find yourself frequently asking people to repeat themselves or struggling to catch certain sounds, it might be time for a hearing test. During your appointment, our hearing health professionals will guide you through a series of tests to evaluate your hearing capabilities thoroughly. This process helps identify any potential hearing issues, providing valuable insights into the specific frequencies and volumes you may be struggling with. At TruEAR, we can work together to develop personalized hearing care solutions, ensuring you don’t miss a beat in life’s conversations and sounds.
How Do You Know if We Need a Hearing Test?
If you frequently miss doorbells, phone calls or fail to hear the chirping of birds, it may be an indication that a hearing test is needed. Other subtle signs include feeling fatigued after social gatherings due to straining to hear conversations or experiencing difficulty following dialogue in movies or on television. Additionally, if friends or family comment that the volume on your devices seems unusually high, it could be a cue to consider a hearing evaluation.
Regular hearing tests are recommended for individuals of all ages, but it’s particularly advisable for adults to start getting their hearing checked around the age of 50 to monitor any potential changes in auditory health. As an adult, establishing a baseline is crucial as it provides a reference point for monitoring changes over time, allowing for early detection of potential hearing issues and more effective interventions.
What to Expect During Your Hearing Test
When you come in for a hearing test, the process is straightforward and non-invasive. We’ll begin by discussing your medical history and any specific concerns you have about your hearing. A visual examination of your ears may be conducted to check for any visible issues, like earwax blockage.
- Pure-tone audiometry: This test measures your ability to hear different tones at varying volumes, helping determine the softest sounds you can hear across a range of frequencies.
- Speech testing: Assessing your ability to hear and understand spoken words, this test gauges your hearing clarity in different environments and at various volume levels.
- Tympanometry: This evaluates the movement of your eardrum in response to changes in air pressure, providing insights into the health and functionality of the middle ear.
- Otoacoustic emissions (OAE): This measures the sounds produced by the inner ear in response to external stimuli, helping to assess the health of the cochlea.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR): By measuring the electrical activity of the auditory nerve and brainstem in response to sound, this test provides information about the pathway of your auditory system.
These tests help us understand your unique hearing profile, allowing us to address any concerns and develop personalized solutions if needed.
Understanding Your Results
Following your hearing test, we will review the results with you to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding. If signs of hearing loss are present, we will explain the extent and nature of it. Hearing aids are the most common recommendation for treatment, and if you could benefit from this technology, we’ll be happy to discuss your options! We carry a diverse range of hearing aid models from the top manufacturers in the industry to ensure you get the most tailored approach to addressing your hearing loss.