Losing your hearing can be a frightening thing. Hearing loss can also be embarrassing, frustrating, and debilitating. Fortunately, when steps are taken to accurately diagnose hearing loss, an effective, customized treatment approach can help. In this article, we’ll explore how hearing loss is diagnosed and what to expect during an audiology exam.
How Hearing Loss is Diagnosed (Step-by-Step)
Once hearing loss is detected, an audiologist will determine the level and type of loss to provide an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Treatments may include more than just hearing aids, and the hearing aids will vary depending on your unique situation.
How do doctors test for hearing loss? Only a thorough evaluation of your aural acuity by an auditory professional can result in the most effective, comprehensive treatment. The steps taken to accurately diagnose hearing loss are outlined below.
1. Health Questionnaire
Your hearing health professional begins with gathering information about your overall health, lifestyle, and the levels of sounds or noise encountered in your career and leisure activities. You will be asked questions verbally, via a printed questionnaire, or online, as prompted in a pre-appointment app. These questions will gather all the pertinent information that will help in your individual diagnosis.
The following information will be requested:
- Your own experience of your hearing and any symptoms you have noticed
- Health factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, etc.
- History of illnesses that have been known to cause hearing loss
- Your exposure to loud noises during work and recreational activities
- List of ototoxic medications you are taking or have taken
- Family history of hearing loss
2. Physical Ear Exam
The first things an audiologist, or any medical professional, will do before testing hearing are a physical examination of the external ear and a look into the ear with an otoscope. This is to first rule out any obvious external damage and assess and address any cerumen impaction, or buildup of “ear wax” that could be interfering with hearing acuity.
3. Hearing Loss Tests
During the next phase of testing, you will play an active role. You will respond to tones and voices and provide feedback to the audiologist. There are no wrong answers. The results of your hearing evaluation can only be as accurate as your responses, so take a deep breath, relax, and respond naturally.
Some of the tests the audiologist might use to diagnose the extent of your hearing loss are listed below.
Pure Tone Test:
This first test, typically performed in a sound booth using earbuds or headphones, will involve the audiologist presenting you with a series of pure sounds in one ear and then in the other. This test determines your pure tone threshold, which is the quietest level at which you can hear each tone.
Speech Threshold Test:
During this test, you will be asked when you can hear a series of words, either spoken or recorded, to determine the softest level at which you can understand the words.
Speech Comprehension Test:
To determine how well you can recognize and process various syllables, your specialist will play specific syllables in each ear at a volume level that has been discovered to work for you.
Sound Filtering Test:
To gauge how well you can isolate speech amid noise, you will listen to sentences spoken softly amid various levels of background noise.
Bone Conduction Test:
Your specialist may also perform a bone conduction test by placing a small device on the bone behind your ear that gently vibrates. This test bypasses the outer and middle ear to measure your inner ear’s direct response to sound.
The Importance of Early Hearing Loss Detection and Diagnosis
Untreated hearing loss can result in feelings of embarrassment, frustration, anxiety, isolation, and depression. We connect with our world and with others through our senses. The loss or impairment of any of these senses can hinder this feeling of connection and negatively affect your quality of life.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, adults with hearing loss are five times more likely to develop dementia and three times more likely to experience a fall. Hearing loss increases the risk of accidental injuries in general, due to problems with balance and other effects on the equilibrium.
In addition to protecting yourself from harm to your ears through protective gear and avoiding activities that put your hearing at risk, it’s important to get your ears examined on a regular basis:
Routine Annual Hearing Exams
For adults aged 18-40, professionals recommend routine exams to monitor hearing capacity every three to five years, even if no symptoms of hearing loss are present. People 60 years of age and older are advised to have annual hearing exams, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms. These appointments help track any trends or changes in your ear and hearing health. Older adults and those working in loud environments are more likely to experience gradual hearing loss, but getting a baseline and an ear health assessment is important for anyone, at any age.
Regular hearing exams are essential to the longevity of your hearing health and early detection of signs of hearing loss. These visits can bring better aural clarity for a fuller, richer life. For hearing aid users, with the information gathered through these exams, adjustments can be made to your devices to ensure you are hearing at your absolute best.
Find a Hearing Clinic Near You
If you have experienced any recent changes in your hearing, or have not received a hearing test in over three years, don’t wait.
We encourage you to take the first step to preserve your hearing health by meeting with one of our highly experienced hearing healthcare providers at any of our hearing clinics conveniently located throughout the United States.
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