If you think you have hearing loss, you probably do. Unfortunately, the average person lives with hearing loss for seven years before seeking treatment. The Audiologists and team of hearing health care professionals at Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions can perform hearing screenings and diagnostic audiological evaluations to assess your ability to hear.
What is a Hearing Screening?
A hearing screening is a simple pass-or-fail test that indicates if some hearing loss is present. Hearing loss isn’t just a sign of aging. The increased use of earbuds to listen to digital devices is creating noise-induced hearing loss in younger and younger populations.
When you “pass” our hearing screening, and are under the age of 50, we will look forward to seeing you again in 10 years. If you’re over 50, we encourage you to return every three years. Also, if you exhibit new or worsening symptoms, don’t hesitate to come back for another hearing screening sooner.
If hearing loss is detected during your hearing screening, we will recommend a complete diagnostic audiological evaluation to determine the type, degree and severity of your hearing loss.
What is a diagnostic audiological evaluation?
Diagnostic audiological evaluations are performed on those that fail an initial hearing screening. The evaluation determines the severity of the hearing loss, the type of hearing loss, and is used to formulate a plan of treatment.
A complete evaluation includes a physical examination of the ear structures as well as tests to determine how well the different parts of the auditory system are functioning. At the end of the evaluation, the Audiologist or other Hearing Care Professional will interpret the results of the test, so you can understand your hearing loss.
Hearing tests are painless, but the idea of hearing loss can be anxiety-inducing. Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions encourages you to bring a family member or close friend with you to any appointment you have at our offices. We understand your need for emotional support and want you to feel comfortable during your visit.
What types of hearing tests are performed?
The exact tests performed during your audiological evaluation will vary based on your hearing ability. The most common tests include:
- Otoscopy: This involves a visual examination of your ears with an otoscope. The instrument is inserted in your ear to evaluate the condition of the ear canal and eardrum.
- Acoustic immittance testing: This brief test evaluates the eardrum, the middle ear and auditory reflexes. It aids in localizing what part of the auditory system may be contributing to hearing loss.
- Pure-tone testing: Your perception of tones of different pitches will be evaluated. Each ear is tested separately, and the results will be recorded on an audiogram.
- Speech audiometry: If pure-tone testing indicates hearing loss, this test may be performed to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate your ability to hear and understand speech in a variety of environments.
Use our free online hearing test or schedule a free hearing screening at any one of our Northern New Jersey offices.