One in six people in UK experience some form of hearing loss, but
perhaps unsurprisingly a large percentage of people have never had a hearing
assessment or sought professional advice. One of the barriers stopping people
for taking this step is the ‘going into the unknown’.
I thought it might be a good idea to briefly explain what to expect from
having a hearing test and hopefully help to eradicate any fears you may have.
Having a hearing test is simple, doesn’t hurt and won’t take too much of
your time. A full hearing assessment will be performed by a hearing aid
audiologist who is a healthcare professional, highly-trained in the prevention,
identification, assessment and non-medical treatment of hearing disorders.
The first part of a hearing test is called the case history: you’ll be
asked about your medical history, current medical issues, medications, hearing
loss symptoms, family history of hearing loss, history of noise exposure, your
hearing concerns, etc. This will provide the hearing aid audiologist with an
overview of your medical situation and will help them in assessing the hearing
test results as well as assist in determining the necessity of a medical
referral following the hearing test.
Next the hearing professional will examine your ear canals and eardrum
with a specialised ear light called an otoscope. This is necessary to check for
issues such as wax in your ear canal or infection of the outer ear.
Finally, it is time to begin the hearing test itself. You will be placed
in a sound treated test booth or a quiet room. During the hearing test, a series
of tones of different frequencies (also known as pitches) as well as speech
signals will be presented to each ear separately through earphones. You will
respond to test signals either by pushing a button, or in the case of speech
signals, repeating what was heard.
The lowest levels of the test signals you can hear at least half of the
time are called your hearing thresholds. Thresholds are recorded for each
frequency and each ear on a chart called an audiogram.
Once your type and degree of hearing loss has been determined, your
hearing care professional will be able to decide how much amplification you
will need; they may then show you a range of instruments appropriate for your
individual hearing loss and together you can decide what is right for you.
My final words of wisdom…
Take the opportunity to look after yourself and those you love by having
your hearing checked; take positive steps to actively protect the precious
sense that allows you to hear your world- your hearing.
