Hearing Assessments or Hearing Tests
A hearing test provides a measurement of the sensitivity of a person’s hearing across the full range of speech. The test will measure the quietest sound that can be heard several points across the speech range – this hearing test is termed as an audiogram.
What happens in a hearing test?
The audiologist performing your hearing test explains what is going to happen and the order of things to be done. They will want to have a look into your ears to ensure there is no blockage (wax) or any reason the hearing test cannot be performed, which is called otoscopy. They will then want to take a brief history (case history) of your hearing, when you noticed problems, did they occur gradually or suddenly, have you had any infections or injury that may have caused the hearing difficulties and the problems you may have had to deal with.
The audiologist will then want to test your hearing by performing an audiogram. The test will take roughly about 20-30 minutes. You will be played a series of sounds through headphones and be asked to respond in some way that you have heard the sound normally by pressing a button every time or by lifting your finger to notify that you heard the sound no matter how quiet or faint it was.
This is done in one ear and then the other, as the results can be different. Depending on the result there may be other tests required, but this will be explained to you by your audiologist at the time.