Hearing Tests For
All Ages
Review of Hearing Health
To begin your Hearing Evaluation (hearing test), our Hearing Care Team will review your health history and ask questions designed to learn more about your hearing concerns. For example, you may be asked about your symptoms, your history of noise exposure, your family’s history of hearing loss, and the specific types of environments in which you experience difficulty hearing. Throughout the hearing test, feel free to ask questions of your Hearing Care Team as well.
If you are unable to communicate well on the phone and would rather e-mail, please send questions or hearingaids@sherardaudiology.com.
Physical Examination of the Ears
Once your Hearing Care Team understands your specific situation, he or she will conduct a physical examination of your ears by looking into them with a special instrument called an otoscope. Using the otoscope, your Hearing Care Specialist can view your ear drum and look for issues like earwax obstructing the ear canal and signs of infections in the ear.
Pure-Tone Test
The primary test in an Hearing Evaluation is the pure-tone test. It is administered in a sound-treated booth to reduce outside noise, the pure-tone test determines the quietest point (threshold) you can hear various frequencies (tones) of sounds. Your Hearing Care Team will place headphones either in or over your ears and another device behind your ear to evaluate your hearing acuity, using a specially calibrated piece of equipment called an audiometer. The audiometer sends a series of tones or beeps at different levels or volumes to your ears. When you hear a sound, you will be asked to press a button, raise a hand or finger or say “Yes” to indicate you heard the sound – it’s as simple as that!
Speech Testing
Another important part of the Hearing Evaluation is speech testing. During speech testing you will listen to a series of one and two-syllable words at different volumes and then be asked to repeat them. This test checks two different aspects of hearing and understanding speech. First, it will determine the quietest level you can detect speech, and it will also determine how well you understand speech. Depending on your specific situation, your Hearing Care Team may also wish to conduct a speech-in-noise test. This additional examination will establish how well you hear and comprehend sentences in a noisy environment.
Audiogram
The results of your Hearing Evaluation are recorded on an Audiogram. It will contains graphics that illustrate the type, pattern, and degree of your hearing loss. Together, you and your audiologist will review the information in detail. The audiogram will reflect your hearing loss in frequencies and decibels, and it will reveal the percentage of normal conversational speech that you are capable of hearing. Your Hearing Care Provider will make connections between the audiogram and your concerns about your hearing, so that you can begin exploring treatment options.
Review of Results
After the Hearing Evaluation is completed, your Hearing Care Team will review each component of it with you to obtain a profile of hearing abilities and needs. You and your Hearing Provider will then create an appropriate plan of action, which may include:
- Medical Referral
- Educational Referral
- Hearing aid, Implant, or Sensory aid Assessment
- Assessment for Assistive Listening Device(s)
- Hearing Rehabilitation Assessment
- Tinnitus Assessment
- Speech-Language Assessment and/or Counseling
When you leave the appointment, your newfound knowledge of your hearing health should lead to hope for the future. Using the latest developments in auditory research, state-of-the-art technology, and years of education and experience, our Hearing Care Team will work with you to find an effective treatment that works for you.