Hearing tests give us the information we need to assess your hearing health and make an accurate recommendation for your specific health and lifestyle needs. You may need one if you suspect you may have hearing loss or if your workplace requires routine hearing exams. The hearing professionals at George Iwanow Hearing Aid Centers can provide the testing you need to determine the best course of action moving forward. We cover some of the tests we may run during your diagnostic audiologic evaluation below.
What Tests Will Be Done?
The specific tests that we run can vary based on your case. Factors like age, medical history and symptoms can influence which tests we need to run to determine the degree and type of hearing loss you’re experiencing.
That being said, we’ll run pure-tone, bone conduction and speech testing at a minimum during your hearing test appointment. The results we get from these tests can help us determine if other testing is needed to deliver an accurate diagnosis.
Pure-Tone and Bone Conduction Tests
Pure-tone testing involves determining the quietest tones that you can hear across low and high frequencies. Bone conduction testing is very similar to this, but we use a different kind of headset to generate different information. Your bone conduction tests will tell us if the hearing loss you’re experiencing is sensorineural in nature or conductive.
Speech Testing
We also run speech testing at our offices. This is a way for us to confirm that the results we got in your pure-tone test are accurate. Instead of measuring the lowest tones you can hear across frequencies, this test determines the lowest level of sound that you can clearly identify words.
Other Tests
We may recommend other tests during your appointment depending on the results we receive from the previous three. For example, your hearing professional may perform a physical examination of your outer ear, ear canal and eardrum called an otoscopy. They may also perform a tympanometry to test the middle of your ear.
Audiometry for Children
Our team also offers specialized hearing tests for infants, young children and adults with cognitive and developmental impairments. These allow us to get the information we need without involving the patient in the testing process.
If your child is experiencing hearing loss, our team will keep them comfortable and engaged throughout the visit with conditioned play audiometry. The results we generate will help us develop a treatment plan that can improve their academic and social success.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
Hearing testing appointments typically last 30-40 minutes, depending on what series of evaluations are needed. This gives us enough time to run all of the tests we need, evaluate your results and answer any questions you may have about them.
Before your appointment starts, we’ll run through your medical history and listen to any complaints you may have about your hearing. Be sure to bring a full list of medications and supplements you’re taking with you to the appointment so that we have all of the information we need to help you.
You may also want to consider bringing a family member or friend to your hearing test appointment. They can help you keep track of all the information you get during the appointment and ask questions you may not think of yourself.