A hearing test consists of multiple components that all work together to determine a person’s hearing loss. Generally, there are three main parts to a hearing test that are then further broken down. So let’s take a look at each part and how they impact a hearing test.

  1. Pre-evaluation:
    1. Medical questionnaire – the patient fills out a medical questionnaire for the hearing health professional. This helps the hearing specialist understand the patient’s general medical history, hearing loss history, family background and any other questions or concerns.
    2. Meeting and questions with the hearing care provider – the patient meets with the hearing health professional and they go over the medical questionnaire together to help the practitioner gain a better understanding of the patient and their concerns and needs.
    3. Ear examination – the hearing care professional will then look into the patient’s ear with an otoscope. This helps the hearing health specialist determine if there are any visual hearing problems, if earwax buildup is present and if the patient can have a hearing test.
    4. Hearing tests:
      1. Pure tone – a pure-tone test is usually the first hearing test administered. This is done through headphones or earbuds. A pure tone is presented to the patient at different frequencies or pitches at different volume levels in order to determine what volume the patient can hear the tone.
      2. Bone conduction – a bone-conduction test is often preformed after the pure-tone test and is done by placing a headband with a small square bone oscillator on the end behind the patient’s ear. The same pure tones are emitted to the patient in the same way as the pure-tone test.
      3. Speech test – words are given to the patient to confirm at what volume is a comfortable listening level.
      4. Masking – this test is not performed on all patients all the time. Masking is needed when there is chance that the pure-tone testing sounds are picked up by the ear that is not being presented the pure-tone to. When masking is done a white noise is used on one ear while the other ear receives the pure-tone sound.
      5. Post-evaluation:
        1. Tympanometry – this test can be done in the pre-evaluation, hearing tests or post-evaluation depending on the hearing health professional and their routine. This test is used to determine the flexibility of the eardrum and if there are any problems, such as fluid in the middle ear.
        2. Test results – you and your hearing health professional will go over the test results together.

If you have any questions, problems or concerns throughout any of the testing be sure to ask you hearing health professional for clarification. They are there for you to help you know and understand what is going on.