Do You Need a Hearing Test?

Most people are unfamiliar with hearing loss until they experience it, making it more difficult to discern what you need to know about getting treatment. Here is what you need to know about hearing loss and when to get a hearing test:

• Signs of hearing loss
• Why and where you need to get tested
• Getting the hearing test

Approximately 14.3% of adult Americans experience hearing loss at some point in their lifetime. The number of cases is more prevalent in people over 50 years due to the conditions experienced in old age like high blood pressure and excessive exposure to loud sounds. It is vital to monitor your hearing health. Take action when you notice any changes in your hearing: do not procrastinate till it is too late.

Signs that you are experiencing hearing loss

There are obvious signs that you should look out for to evaluate your hearing:

• Asking people to repeat their words during conversations
• Turning up the volume while listening to music or watching TV
• Difficulty in keeping up with phone conversations even with the in-call volume set to maximum
• Challenges in distinguishing sounds in areas with background noises
• Having trouble in differentiating sounds like ‘f’ or ‘v’, ‘s’ or ‘th’

Getting the hearing test

You do not need any prior preparation to take the hearing test. You only need the audiologist’s appointment. The tests are neither harmful nor invasive; thus, no need to be scared. Hearing tests are carried out in a soundproof room. You are given headphones to wear and listen to sounds as per the tests. The test identifies the hearing loss that you have: sensorineural or conductive hearing loss. The former is due to damage to the inner ear (the nerves or cochlea) while the latter is because of damage to the middle ear (eardrum and ossicle bones).

There are four common types of tests:

1.  Hearing loss test

These tests determine the least audible type of sounds that you can hear. Sounds of different audibility play on each ear at a time. A coordinated response style of touch of a button or raising the hand determines the extent of hearing loss. The lowest sound ranges that each ear can listen to establishes the degree of hearing loss: normal, mild, moderate, severe or profound.

2.  Speech discrimination

In speech discrimination, you repeat two or one-syllable words to measure your ability to pick out sounds from a noisy environment.

3.  Acoustic reflex test

These tests investigate the cranial nerves, brainstems and for damage in the eardrum, ossicle bones and middle ear. The audiologist inserts an earplug in your ear and applies different types of pressure on it. The eardrum relays its responses and information from the test is analyzed to determine the middle ear health.

4.  Rhine or Weber test

These tests are a mandatory test carried out before and after the specific test to further ascertain the hearing loss. The audiologist taps your head using a tuning fork, and the air or bone conduction is analyzed by the length of sound heard.