As we get older, many things begin to decline. From our athletic prowess to our ability to stay up late, some things become more difficult as we age.
One thing that many people experience as they age is a loss of hearing. To most elderly folks, sounds don’t seem as sharp as they once were and can often be challenging to interpret.Hearing loss usually develops slowly. You may not notice symptoms until you suffer from the condition.
What’s the Purpose of a Hearing Test?
The purpose of a test for hearing loss is to identify whether you are experiencing hearing loss and experiencing mild or severe hearing loss. Hearing loss can affect your health in many ways, so it is crucial to get a hearing evaluation as soon as possible.
On your first time in the office, the hearing health professional will ask you a series of questions on your medical history form to help them get familiar with your medical history. Hearing loss can have many different causes, and your case history will help know if you have a genetic or inherited condition.
The ear health practitioner will ask if you have recently experienced any head or ear trauma, and impacted earwax may also result in hearing impairment. Other health conditions such as allergies and head colds can also cause hearing loss.
Also, your doctor will want to know what symptoms you have and how they affect your overall quality of life. The hearing health professional will ask about your routine and what kind of things matter most to you.
Types of Hearing Loss and a Hearing Test
There are three main types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. A hearing test will help you realize which hearing loss (if any) you have and how to help with your condition.
Hearing loss can be caused by head injuries, loud noise exposure, or working in noisy environments. Any type of injury to the skull can cause temporary or even permanent damage to your hearing. People older than 60 and those working in high-noise environments, such as restaurants and construction, are most at risk for hearing loss.
Your hearing care practitioner should tell you how often you should be tested if you have already been diagnosed with hearing loss. Just as with vision, hearing changes over time, and your hearing aid will usually require an adjustment.
How is a Hearing Test Conducted?
It is not painful or intrusive to take a hearing test. Almost all hearing tests are done in a room free of sound, so you don’t have to worry about any ambient noise that could affect your test.
An audiometer will be used to conduct the test, and headphones will be provided. The room may also have specially placed speakers for testing infants, young children, or adults wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants.
You’ll be given instructions through a headset as you listen to tones at various pitches and volumes as part of a hearing test. The test occurs in a room treated for sound so that those giving the test can get through to you through headphones.
The test measures the very softest sounds of each frequency you can hear, so you will have to focus and listen closely since the tones are very soft, and you can barely hear them.
Most hearing tests also involve speech audiometry, recorded or live speech instead of pure tones, performed in a quiet room. This part of the test measures how soft you can hear and understand speech (your threshold).
Using speech sounds, some practitioners determine your most comfortable listening level and the upper limits of your comfort level by asking you to repeat back words presented at a level well above the threshold.
There are standard tests to educate your practitioners on your unique hearing situation. Some of these include Speech in Noise and Words in Noise tests. These tests simulate how you might hear in a noisy situation such as a restaurant or grocery store. They help assess what you can hear in “real life.”
Using an audiogram, you can see the loudest sounds you can hear, along with the softest sounds. An audiogram consists of a vertical axis where you can see the intensity and a horizontal axis to see the frequency.
After the Hearing Test
After your testing is finished, your audiologist will recommend treatment if necessary. Most people with mild or moderate hearing loss will be advised to get hearing aids. Fortunately, hearing aids have become much more advanced in recent years, often containing features like Bluetooth connectivity.
If you or a loved one believe you may suffer from hearing loss, it is vital to seek help immediately. Leaving hearing loss untreated will only make it worse, further increasing your symptoms.
If you live in the Las Vegas area, consider visiting Hearing Associates of Las Vegas today for all of your hearing needs. One quick hearing evaluation could be the difference from drastically improving your overall quality of life.
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