All About Hearing Testing

By Marisa DeFrancesco, Educational Audiologist

Just as you have your eyes, teeth and health checked every year, you should also have your hearing tested and hearing aids checked at least once a year. It is important to know if your hearing has changed, that your hearing aids work as best as possible and that your questions and concerns are discussed.

The appointment typically starts with questions about any changes in your health, hearing at home and at school, and hearing aids. Now is the time to let them know about any of your concerns about your hearing or hearing aids. If there is something you are unhappy about, please let them know.

The audiologist will start by looking into your ears to be sure there is no wax or dirt and to look at your eardrums.

There is no specific order to which test comes next but they will do the following...

1) Pure Tone and Speech Testing

You will go into a quiet soundproof booth and the audiologist will put headphones or earbuds in your ears. You will hear a range of sounds directed to one ear at a time. The headphones are connected to a machine (audiometer) that delivers the tones and speech. You will be asked to indicate when you hear even the softest of sounds and to repeat the words that you hear. These tests are used to determine your thresholds i.e. the softest level that you can just detect the sounds. These measures help them to understand your hearing and to help adjust your hearing aids. The audiologist will then determine the most comfortable level for listening for you and the level that is almost too loud to listen to so that the hearing aids can be set well for you. They will test how clearly you can hear words when words are said at a good volume for you and there is no background noise.

These tests look at all three parts of your hearing: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.

They need to determine which parts are working well or what part may be causing a decrease in hearing for you. It is important to understand the cause for any hearing loss. Sometimes hearing difficulties in the outer and/or middle ears can be reduced by medical help (e.g. antibiotics, cleaning, surgery or other medical ways). Your ears, nose and throat doctor may need to be contacted for further information.

2) Impedance Testing

This test specifically looks at your middle ears. You don’t have to do anything for this test. The audiologist will put a soft plug into your outer ear and you will hear a hum and then feel bit of pressure. This checks your eardrum, the middle ear bones and the space in the middle ear. You will also hear some loud tones or beeps.

3) Hearing Aid Testing

Your ear molds will be checked for a good fit and good function. Every year or so, new ear molds needs to be made or sometimes just the tubing needs to be changed. They will do a listening check of the hearing aids while they wear a stethoscope connected to the hearing aids. They will check to see how you hear beeps and words while you are wearing the hearing aids. This will also involve placing another soft tip in your ear canal but this time with your hearing aid in your ear. They can test how the hearing aids are matching the prescription they have for you for soft, medium and loud sounds. There are many ways for them to adjust how you hear the various ranges of sound and also how you hear these sounds in noise or other listening situations. As you get older, they can make changes in how the hearing aids work for you, and they can also adjust them based on how you feel. Often there are accessories they can review with you such as a remote mic that works with your hearing aids.

Your audiologist will review all the findings with you and answer any of your questions. This is a great time to ask them any questions about the testing, your hearing, your hearing aids and the plans for your next visit.

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