What to Expect from a Comprehensive Hearing Test

A comprehensive hearing test is a thorough evaluation of your auditory function, conducted by a trained professional. Its purpose is to provide a detailed assessment of your hearing capabilities, identifying any potential issues or areas of concern. During this process, you can expect a series of non-invasive tests and assessments designed to measure various aspects of your hearing, including sensitivity to different frequencies and your ability to understand speech. This examination is a pivotal step in understanding your overall auditory health and serves as the foundation for any necessary interventions or recommendations.

When to Get a Hearing Test

You should get a hearing test if you ever suspect that you might have an issue with your hearing. Your brain is very good at compensating for hearing problems, which means that sometimes you’re the last person to realize that your hearing has deteriorated. Even if you don’t think you’re losing your hearing, you should get a hearing test if you have issues with your ear health or other symptoms that interfere with your life. This might include:

• Regular ear infections
• Issues with ear wax and blockages
• Tinnitus

Hearing sensitivity

Regular ear infections or other issues can lead to cumulative damage to your hearing. If this damage is permanent, an audiologist can help you to discover the extent of your hearing loss and what you can do about it.

Tinnitus and hearing sensitivity can be signs of hearing loss that you may not realize. While you might be sensitive to certain sounds and frequencies, you might simultaneously experience difficulty hearing other frequencies. Even if you don’t have hearing loss, these symptoms should be investigated.

The most obvious reason to get a hearing test is if you or someone else notices signs of deteriorating hearing. These signs might be that you:

• Struggle to keep up with conversations
• Need people to repeat themselves
• Find social situations more difficult than once before
• Need to turn the volume up on devices
• Suddenly rely on closed captions or subtitles

In this situation, an audiologist can do a hearing test to figure out why you’re experiencing these symptoms and how you can move on.

What Happens During a Comprehensive Hearing Test?

A comprehensive hearing test is the best way to determine the extent of your hearing loss and your prognosis. It can last for around an hour, so make sure you make room for it in your schedule. The audiologist will then talk to you about your hearing, as well as any other symptoms or issues you may be experiencing.

After a brief conversation, they will test your ears by playing sounds at different pitches through a pair of headphones. Whenever you hear a sound, you should press a button. This will help them to determine what frequencies you can and can’t hear. You may also wear a headband that can test how well you hear through vibrations.

After the tests, the audiologist will perform an examination of your ears. They will use a camera to look at your ear canals and ear drums so they can check whether sound has a clear route through the structures of your inner ear. This information will be recorded so the results can be compared with future examinations. Finally, the audiologist will discuss the results with you.

If they find that you are experiencing hearing loss, they may recommend that you wear hearing aids. You should also make another appointment with the audiologist to keep track of your hearing.

The Hearing Aid Fitting

If the audiologist recommends hearing aids, they may be able to fit and install the hearing aid on the day. They will also give you options for different kinds of hearing aids, depending on your needs and preferences. The most common options are:

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, which are suitable for people with mild-to-profound hearing loss. They sit neatly and comfortably behind the ear.
• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids sit inside the outer ear bowl. They are suitable for people with mild-to-moderately-severe hearing loss and are easier for people with motor difficulties to handle.
• In-the-canal (ITC) devices rest in the ear canal. They are more discreet, but can be difficult for individuals with dexterity issues to handle.

The audiologist will analyze the sounds produced by your hearing aids to ensure you’re getting the right listening experience. You’ll typically schedule a follow-up appointment a few weeks out to ensure you are getting the most out of your devices. To learn more about the audiologists at Bluegrass Hearing Clinic and our testing process, please contact us at (859) 295-5729.