Informed Decision-Making Starts With A Hearing Test
Determining whether or not hearing aids can help you hear a fuller world starts with a hearing test. Knowing the results of those tests gives you the power to make the decision that’s right for you.
Why Have Your Hearing Tested?
Untreated hearing loss can damage your physical health, emotional well-being and professional success. Studies have shown it:
- Increases your risk of cognitive decline
- Increases feelings of depression, anger and anxiety
- Makes concentrating and storing new information difficult
- Increases physical injuries, specifically falls
- Reduces job performance
A Hearing Test Is Quick, Painless and Provides Immediate Results.
Whether you just need a hearing screening or an audiological assessment, testing methods are fast and same-day test results typically allow an audiologist to provide an immediate diagnosis.
Do I Need a Hearing Test?
Hearing loss is a permanent progressive degenerative condition that affects 1 in 8 people. Onset of hearing loss can be gradual, making it challenging to determine when it’s time to seek assistance. Below is a simple checklist to help you decide if you should have your hearing tested.
☑ I am 40 years or older.
Age-related hearing loss can start as early as 40 and becomes more prevalent with age. 50% of individuals between 40 and 50 have some degree of hearing loss. This figure rises to 66% for those aged 50 to 60.
☑ I have a loud job or hobby.
Hazardous noise exposure can damage the structures of the ear and affect your ability to hear and understand speech.
☑ I have diabetes, heart disease, or kidney disease.
These medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of hearing loss. Hearing loss is twice as common in individuals with diabetes. People with heart disease are 54% more likely to experience hearing loss.
☑ Everybody is mumbling.
If you find yourself thinking, “I can hear you, but I don’t know what you said,” you may have high-frequency hearing loss.
☑ I can’t hear as well in background noise.
Difficulty hearing in loud environments, like restaurants or group gatherings, is a classic sign of hearing loss.
☑ I have ringing in my ears.
Tinnitus is a common side effect of hearing loss. 90% of people who experience tinnitus also have some degree of hearing impairment.
If you identify with any of the points mentioned in this checklist, it’s time to schedule a hearing test and explore potential treatment options with an audiologist you trust.
Case History Interview
Initially, one of our doctors of audiology will conduct a case history interview with you and your loved one in an attempt to better understand the extent of your hearing loss and its impact in your social, professional, and personal life. Questions regarding family history of hearing loss, medical history, and occupational history will also be asked. These answers provide your doctor with valuable information regarding etiology of hearing loss and possible prognosis. The case history interview provides valuable insight to your specific hearing loss experience and is used to develop a treatment plan that will address your individual hearing goals and needs.
What Does our Audiologist Measure?
After the interview is complete, your doctor of audiology, also referred to as an audiologist, will examine your ear canal and ear drum, visually, using an otoscope. This is important to ensure that there is no occlusion of wax or debris.
A test of middle ear function will be completed. This will help your doctor determine the nature of your hearing loss.
Your hearing evaluation will be conducted using headphones or inserts inside a sound treated booth.
(Please note: we have options for patients who are claustrophobic.)
A typical hearing evaluation includes the following:
1. A speech assessment to measure how well you hear and understand speech at different volumes in quiet and in background noise.
2. A pure-tone assessment via headphones or inserts to measure the quietest level you can hear across several frequencies ranging from low (bass) to high (treble).
3. A pure-tone assessment via bone conduction to confirm the type of hearing loss you are experiencing.
Guiding Your Next Steps
Your results determine what options we’ll recommend, and that’s why we take the time to guide you through them and answer every question along the way. We’re here to support you no matter what path you choose to take after your diagnosis.
Hearing aids may be the most common treatment option, but their technology, style, and convenience are unique to each model. If hearing aids are right for you, we’ll work with you to determine which models best meet your needs, fit them, and provide ongoing support to help you adjust to a whole new way of hearing the world.
Call Acro Audiology Hearing Care Center at (210) 239-5995 for more information or to schedule an appointment.