What happens during a hearing test
Statistically as we get older, we are increasingly likely to experience some degree of hearing loss. In most cases, this is due to hair cells in our inner ears becoming damaged (through wear and tear) to a greater or lesser extent.
These damaged cells can affect how we hear, most often the higher frequencies, causing poorer quality (muffled or quiet) signals to be transmitted to the brain. But, unlike other human cells, hair cells in the ear are unable to regenerate. So, once they have been damaged, hearing loss, of one degree or other, will be permanent.
Having a regular hearing test can help to identify any problems with your hearing, before they significantly impact your day to day life. Hearing loss is a gradual process, that’s why we encourage people over 60, earlier if they are experiencing hearing issues, to get their hearing checked every year.
The test is simple, non-intrusive, painless and will take about an hour.
Hearing history
First, your hearing aid audiologist will ask you a series of questions to understand more about your hearing history. These will focus on you have:
Undergone any ear surgeries/operations
A history of noise exposure, dizziness, tinnitus and imbalance, or a family history of hearing loss
An ear that hears better than the other (and which you favour)
Noticed any changes in your hearing and have an explanation of why that might be
Visual examination of your ear canals
Secondly, your hearing aid audiologist will look in your ears with an otoscope to check the health of your ear canals and whether there is a clear view of your eardrums. If either, or both ears, are full of wax, that may need to be removed first. However, it's important to note that a small amount of wax in the ear is normal. It’s also possible to see a picture of each ear canal, so you can further understand more about the condition of your ears.
The hearing test is in three parts:
Air conduction testing
All three parts of your ear – outer, middle and inner are tested using headphones connected to an audiometer. Each ear is tested in turn. You will be asked to respond, when you hear a sound, by pressing a button. Essentially you listen to short tones that are played at different volumes and pitches. The hearing aid audiologist will make the sounds softer and softer and record the softest, or least audible, sound you can hear.
Just for your information, the loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 20 dB, loud music ranges between 80-120 dB, and a jet engine is about 180 dB. Whilst the tone of sound is measured in frequencies (Hz). Low bass tones range from 50-60 Hz, high-pitched tones range 10,000 Hz or higher. Normal hearing range is 250-8,000 Hz at 25 dB or lower.
Bone conduction testing
The hearing aid audiologist will use a bone conductor on the mastoid bone behind one of your ears. Once again, you’ll listen to a series of beeping sounds and be asked to press a button when you hear them.
The results of the two tests will help your hearing aid audiologist to determine your type of hearing loss – conductive, sensorineural, or a mixture of the two.
Results and recommendations
Straight after your tests have concluded, your hearing aid audiologist will share the results with you. They appear on a chart (audiogram) that measures your hearing against normal ranges. The audiogram will show how well you hear sounds in terms of frequency (high-pitched sounds versus low-pitched sounds) and intensity or loudness.
You will generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
Normal (-10 to 20dB). You have normal hearing which is healthy.
Mild hearing loss (-20-40dB). Some quiet sounds like whispering might not be heard and potentially hearing conversations at a distance or with background noise might be compromised.
Moderate (40-70dB). Some mild and moderately loud sounds like voices, footsteps, etc., and household sounds may be missed. As can some words and background noises may cause many communications to be completely missed.
Severe (70-95dB). Many sounds, words and/or whole conversations are misheard or missed. This may necessitate speaking slower or louder. Many household sounds like a doorbell or phone ringing are missed.
Profound (95+dB). Unable to hear loud noises in even a quiet environment and could be reliant on lip reading or sign language.
Your hearing is a precious sense that deserves to be taken seriously with regular attention and care. When it comes to protecting your hearing, a quick and painless hearing test performed regularly can make a big difference to your overall health as it can provide an early detection of hearing loss, improve your ability to communicate, prevent cognitive decline, better alert you to potential warnings/dangers and enhance your wellbeing and quality of life.
Book your hearing test with The Sense of Hearing today and don’t miss out on the sounds of laughter, music, nature or conversations with family and friends.
