Most young adults today probably had a hearing test as part of mandatory school screenings, but this wasn't always the case. Older individuals may have never had such an examination and, as a result, know little about how a hearing test is conducted.
Many people feel a certain anxiety or apprehension about going to the doctor, and this is especially true when they have no idea what to expect. Does a hearing test hurt? What does it involve? What do the results mean? And how long does it last? These are all legitimate questions that this article aims to answer.
By learning more about hearing tests, we hope you will have a more serene visit and better understand what is being done, and why.
Step one: the questionnaire
The first thing to expect during a hearing test is to fill out a new patient form. It includes the usual items like billing, date of birth, and other administrative information, which may be supplemented by a section on your medical and family history.
If your hearing center allows it, you may be able to fill out this form in advance so you don't feel rushed and spend less time in the waiting room. Overall, these documents don't take long, but still count on five to fifteen minutes.
Family history
Family history may seem unrelated, but some types of hearing loss have a hereditary component. By answering honestly, you allow your healthcare professional to better identify any risk factors you may have.
For example, if one of your parents suffered from neurological degeneration that led to hearing loss, this information will allow your doctor to pay particular attention to it and check for early signs of auditory neuropathy.
Medical questionnaire
A general questionnaire is also likely, as hearing is directly influenced by the environment we live in.
Questions like your profession provide valuable information to your practitioner. They help them estimate the level of noise exposure you may have experienced throughout your life and determine if this may have contributed to hearing loss. You will also find a section where you can indicate your main reason for consultation, your age, and many other elements.
Why so many questions?
The main reason is to better understand you and your particular risk profile. These factors guide the examinations that will be performed and the points that will be closely monitored.
These risk factors may include your genetic predisposition to hearing loss, your age, your occupational exposure to loud sounds, and even certain illnesses you have had in the past.
Step two: the examination room
Once called, you will generally be seated in a room with the audiologist. They will have your file in hand and may ask you questions. This is an excellent opportunity to tell them about your specific difficulties. Tell them what you expect from this visit.
Once this initial contact is over, your audiologist will likely perform a series of tests to better assess your hearing ability and, possibly, determine the type of hearing loss you have.
Here is a detailed overview of some examinations you might encounter at the audiologist's office:
Visual examination
Often, the very first thing an audiologist does is examine your ear canal and eardrum using a device called an otoscope. This is essentially a special eyepiece equipped with a light, which provides a clear and magnified view of the ear canal and eardrum.
This examination aims to ensure that there is no physical obstruction in the ear canal and that the eardrum is perfectly intact, without abnormality or perforation. If the obstruction is significant enough, the audiologist may recommend cerumen extraction to safely remove the compacted earwax. Otherwise, they will proceed with the rest of the examinations.
In some cases, the practitioner has an otoscope that can also assess the function of the eardrum. These pneumatic otoscopes send a brief pulse of air into the canal, which puts pressure on the eardrum and causes it to move. If the movement of the eardrum is impeded, this may signal a problem in the middle ear.
Overall, the visual examination is very quick and can take less than five minutes.
Tympanometry
Another possible examination is tympanometry. The tympanometer is a device used to check that the eardrum is working properly.
The device is usually small and ends with a tip that creates a seal with your ear canal. Precise air pressure is applied, and the device's sensors detect the eardrum's reaction.
The small pulse of air can be unpleasant; it is also the only common examination that causes some discomfort. Even if it can be annoying, the test only lasts a few seconds per ear.
Audiometry
Audiometry is the main examination used to quantify hearing ability, and it is also the most time-consuming. An audiometric examination is actually very simple: it uses headphones and a device that emits precise sounds at precise volumes.
The test takes place in a quiet room and you are asked to put on headphones. Once the headphones are on, you are asked to listen carefully. As soon as you hear a sound, you raise your hand.
Each time your audiologist emits a sound at a certain volume, they note whether you heard it or not. The test thus covers many perceptible frequencies and many different volumes.
The result of this test is an audiogram. It is often presented as a graph and indicates where your hearing is on the hearing loss scale.
Bone conduction
Another possible examination is the bone conduction test. It helps your audiologist determine whether your hearing loss is sensorineural or conductive. In other words, it helps determine whether your hearing loss originates in the inner ear or in the middle and outer ear.
For this test (without headphones, this time), the audiologist uses a series of tuning forks. They apply them to your mastoid process, a bone just behind the ear. In a more technological version, they can use a headband called an oscillator, which produces the same effect more precisely.
This test bypasses the middle ear and only evaluates the capacity of the inner ear. If you do not hear a sound during a classic audiometry but you do hear it during the bone conduction test, this suggests conductive hearing loss.
Results
After this series of examinations, your doctor will have a better understanding of your hearing ability and the possible origin of your problem. Most of the time, these consultations last less than an hour.
At the end of the visit, your audiologist can tell you which sounds you have difficulty hearing, why you may be experiencing hearing loss, and offer solutions to address it.
In addition to discussing your results, your practitioner may also offer you hearing aids on site. This is convenient since you are already there, but these hearing aids are often sold at extremely high prices.
The main thing to remember: you are not obliged to buy them, you have every right to compare. Here is an overview of some options to consider.
EV1
The CLARIA EV1 is a remarkable offering for a hearing aid, with a price under one hundred dollars. Many models offered at an audiologist cost several thousands of dollars and, for those new to hearing aids, it is probably better to start with a less expensive option to test the waters.
Atom
The CLARIA Atom is a more high-end product, at a slightly higher price, but packed with features. It has 25% longer battery life, is 22% more compact, and benefits from a patented Comfort+ design for all-day comfort.
Hearing and health
In summary, a hearing test generally lasts from half an hour to an hour, depending on your concerns and the number of examinations required. Now that you know what to expect during a hearing test, you can feel more at ease and more in control of your health to get the care you deserve.
Sources
What Is Auditory Neuropathy? — Causes & Treatment | NIDCD.
Hearing loss - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Audiometry | MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
