How Does an Audiologist Conduct a Hearing Test?

If you suspect that you are experiencing some form of hearing loss, whether you have trouble speaking to people in a crowded room or the television is gradually creeping up in volume over time, you may want to get a hearing test. Getting a baseline hearing test and follow-up tests can help you to catch any sign of hearing loss early so you can move forward with the knowledge that you can get extra help and enjoy your life more. 

The purpose of a hearing test is not just to determine if you have hearing loss, but also the extent of the issue. A hearing test can also help you to understand the type of hearing loss. You could have sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss or a mixture of the two.

When you go to an audiologist for a hearing test it is a painless procedure that usually lasts around 30 minutes, finishing up with the recommended course of action, such as medication, cochlear implants or hearing aids. Let's show you the process so you know what to expect.

Checking your health history

The first part of the process is to understand your personal hearing health history. As there are many causes of hearing loss, from tinnitus to medical conditions like allergies, the audiologist may want to discuss any specific symptoms you are feeling and your lifestyle as well as what you do for a living and your lifestyle. After the hearing health history is completed, the hearing test begins.

The hearing test process

Hearing tests occur in a quiet booth to mask out other noises that could impact your exam’s score. It is a non-invasive and painless procedure. You are asked to wear headphones or soft earplugs with wires. These are connected to an audiometer that is used for the test. The hearing test consists of three main components:

Pure-tone audiometry

You listen to tones in different pitches and volumes in a sound-treated room. This part of the test requires a lot of focus because even if you hear a very soft tone and can barely hear it, you will need to respond. The purpose of this test is to measure the softest sounds you can hear at each frequency.

Speech audiometry

This uses live or recorded speech instead of tones. The purpose is to ascertain the softest speech sounds that you can hear and understand. You are asked to repeat back words at a level above your minimum hearing threshold to see how well you can understand them. Doing this determines your most comfortable listening level and the limits of your abilities.

Tympanometry

This is not always necessary. But the tympanometry part of the test will test your acoustic reflexes inside your ear. The purpose is to determine how your eardrum is moving. A soft plug that changes in pressure and generates sounds is put in the ear to measure the reflexive responses of the middle ear.

Once the test is completed, the results are presented in decibels of hearing threshold level (dB HL) on a graph called an audiogram. The audiogram displays the intensity or volume of the sounds on the vertical axis. The horizontal axis will show the pitch or frequency of the sound. You will see two lines on the graph, each one represents an ear. The categories of hearing loss consist of the following:

• Normal hearing: zero to 25 dB HL
• Mild hearing loss 26 to 40 dB HL
• Moderate hearing loss 41 to 70 dB HL
• Severe hearing loss 71 to 90 dB HL
• Profound hearing loss greater than 91 dB HL

Once the testing is complete and you are determined to have some form of hearing loss, the audiologist will recommend the appropriate course of treatment. For people that experience mild to moderate hearing loss, hearing aids are recommended. The audiologist can show you the right type to suit your lifestyle, and as hearing aids to become more advanced and can connect with devices, having a hearing aid is not the same stigma as it used to be.

A hearing test is an essential process to determine if you have any form of hearing loss. Many people take a long time between the official diagnosis of hearing loss and getting a hearing aid. Some people take as long as seven years on average. If you are concerned that you may experience some form of hearing loss, you can get in touch with the Physicians Hearing Center today at (334) 441-4090 to book a hearing test.