What to Expect when Visiting the Audiologist

Too many people suffer from hearing loss and fail to take action, so scheduling a hearing test is an important first step to better listening. However, you may be uncertain about what to expect during the visit, such as whether you can take someone with you.

Audiologists are caring professionals who understand you may feel anxious in a strange situation and will take time to put you at ease. The initial part of the consultation involves talking about your medical history and what you’ve noticed about your hearing.

Taking a History

Most audiologists actively encourage you to bring a friend or relative along to the consultation. Your companion is literally another pair of ears to listen what the audiologist says. It can be useful to your audiologist to hear the perspective of someone close to you and what they have noticed about your hearing loss.

Otoscopy

Next, the audiologist looks into your ears to examine the ear canal and ear drum for anything that could interfere with your hearing, such an excessive amount of ear wax, blockages, polyps, or perforations in the ear drum. This is done with an instrument called an otoscope, which has a magnifying lens and a light source.

Tympanometry

The first test of the hearing exam is usually tympanometry. This checks the ability of the ear drum to respond to small changes in pressure, and helps identify if the middle ear space which houses the three tiny bones is healthy. This checks the middle ear for problems such as fluid and infection, or problems with the tube connecting the ear to the throat.

Tympanometry is done by inserting a small, soft tip into the ear canal. All you will feel are slight pressure changes and hear a series of beeps.  It is not painful.

Audiometry

The bulk of the hearing test will check to determine what sounds you are able to hear and how well. You will sit in a soundproof booth or room and listen to series of varying tones at different volumes. You simply have to raise your hand or push a button to indicate that you heard the tone. The audiologist will also determine the softest sound you can hear via headphones. Then, a small bone vibrator headband is placed on your head and just behind your ear. This checks what sounds the inner can detect directly via conduction of sound through the skull.

Finally, the audiologist asks you to repeat some words, which tests your ability to understand speech at conversational or even loud volumes.

The audiologist analyzes the data from all of these tests to determine the exact nature of your hearing loss. For example, you might have a problem with the mechanics of hearing sound (middle ear problem), or perhaps the ear has been damaged over time and the nerve cells cannot convert sound to electrical impulses at soft volumes (sensorineural hearing loss). Using this information, the audiologist can then begin to suggest solutions suited to your individual needs.