Hearing Tests

The first step toward better hearing

Julie performing a hearing test at the hearing booth

What Is a Hearing Evaluation?

Hearing impairment affects more than just your ability to hear — it affects your quality of life. South Sound Audiology stresses the importance of an accurate and timely hearing test. The hearing evaluation is just the beginning of your treatment, and it’s essential to setting your unique care plan in motion and taking action on hearing loss. Your in-depth hearing evaluation will help us craft a treatment plan that renews your ability to hear, allowing you to truly hear your best and live life on your terms.

Step One

The Interview

The interview process helps our practice determine the extent of your hearing impairment and aids us in uncovering any specific areas requiring further attention. Here are some typical questions you’ll want to prepare for:

  • Has anyone else in your family had hearing problems?
  • Have you had any illnesses or injuries that might have affected your hearing?
  • Have you taken any medications that might have contributed to hearing impairment?
  • Have you been exposed to loud noises in your workplace or while participating in leisure activities?
A man smiling
A woman receives a hearing examination with an otoscope
Step Two

A Hearing Examination

Our hearing care providers take a close look inside your ear to figure out if the hearing difficulty you are experiencing could be caused by an obstruction or damage to the ear canal or eardrum.

We use a special instrument — it’s called an otoscope, or a video otoscope — to inspect your outer ear.

The process is completely painless and with the video otoscope, you can even see the inside of your ear, if you would like to.

Step Three

Hearing Tests

Next, we’ll need to figure out the nature of your hearing loss. There’s a chance we will include hearing tests, like the following:

  • A hearing screening to measure your hearing at four frequencies, at 25 decibels each
  • A speech assessment to measure how well you hear and understand ordinary conversation at different volumes
  • A middle-ear evaluation to measure how your eardrum and hearing react to varying degrees of air pressure

If you are suffering from a hearing impairment, your results will be documented on an audiogram. An audiogram is created after you take a pure-tone hearing test, and it will map out the type, degree, and configuration of your hearing loss. The audiogram shows your hearing loss by frequency, as pitch and loudness of sounds change. Frequencies are measured in hertz (Hz), and the loudness or intensity is measured in decibels (dB). We will help determine whether you have trouble hearing low or high pitches, and what that means for you moving forward.

A man receiving a hearing test
A woman being fitted with hearing aids
Step Four

Discussing Results & Treatment Options

Hearing Aids

We will work with you to match your lifestyle needs with the most advanced technology, specifically designed to treat your unique hearing loss. The basic components of this instrument include a microphone, an amplifier, a receiver, and a tiny processor. The exceptional effectiveness of your devices is the result of a powerful combination of professional expertise, software, and hardware.

Talk to us about treatment options

Frequently Asked Questions

Before your child leaves the hospital, they’re given an otoacoustic emissions (OAE) test. When your child is sleeping, an earphone and microphone are placed in the ear, sounds are played, and their response is measured. If the newborn does not have a hearing impairment, an echo is reflected back into the ear canal that is being measured by the microphone. When a baby does have a hearing loss, no echo can be measured on the OAE test. This test is generally administered twice. Please see our section about child hearing loss for more information on hearing impairment and preventive measures for all ages.

Approximately 20 minutes.

This depends on lifestyle as well as on age. Typically, we recommend an annual hearing test, whether there are signs of hearing loss or not, particularly if you are exposed to noise consistently through work or play. If you are exhibiting signs and symptoms of hearing loss, please call today to schedule an appointment.

Julie performing a hearing test at the hearing booth

We’re Here When You’re Ready to Hear Better

Join hundreds of local patients who’ve trusted our team to help them reconnect with the sounds they love. We can’t wait to welcome you to our practice.

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