A hearing test is an essential component for the diagnosis of a wide range of hearing-related disorders, as well as for their treatment and the prescription of medication, hearing aids, or further referrals.
That said, if you’ve never had one before, it’s understandable to feel a little anxious about it. You’ll likely be wondering what will happen during the test, and be confused about why you need one and what the results might be.
This is all very normal, but the reality is that hearing tests are quick and painless. It may also be that it’s not you going for the test, but one of your children, in which case you might want to find out as much information as possible beforehand so that you can reassure them.
In this short article, we’re going to go through what you can expect from start to finish in a few easy steps.
Step 1: The Initial Consultation
An initial consultation with an audiologist is the first stage. As well as having a full medical history taken and a physical examination, the hearing test itself is usually performed on the same day.
The audiologist will introduce themselves and explain what’s going to be done. They’ll start by asking you a series of questions about your hearing and why you’ve come to visit them.
Step 2: Physical Ear Examination
To start the process, the ears will need to be physically examined. This is much the same experience as you’d have had when a general practitioner (GP) or ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist examines the area.
The audiologist will use a tool called an otoscope to inspect the inside of the ear canal to check for any signs of infection, inflammation, or earwax buildup, which could affect hearing. This is quick and painless.
If something is spotted, they’ll tell you there and then, and if not, they’ll explain that everything looks normal and will proceed to the next part of the test.
Step 3: The Hearing Test
Next up is the hearing test itself. The audiologist will start by explaining how the test works, but essentially, you’ll be asked to sit in a small, soundproofed room and be given a pair of high-fidelity headphones to wear and a button to press. Sounds at various volumes and frequencies will be played through the headphones, and you’ll be asked to press the button as soon as you hear the sound. Each press plots onto a graph on the audiologist’s screen to give you your result.
During this stage, it’s key to openly communicate: advocating during tests is important, and no one will force you to do anything you don’t want.
Step 4: The Result
Having completed the test, you’ll then sit back down with the audiologist, and they’ll go through your results with you. They’ll explain any dips in your hearing and where it’s at its best, and the two of you will then explore whether any further treatment is necessary.
While a hearing test might seem scary at first, it’s a very straightforward process. It’ll be over before you know it. Good luck!
