What Should You Expect During A Hearing Test?

  1. When you arrive for your exam, you will be greeted by Pat, our office manager, and asked to sign our HIPAA privacy statement as required by law. She will also verify your insurance benefits.
  2. As your exam begins, Trude will obtain pertinent background information, such as your hearing concerns, situations in which you experience difficulty hearing, and medical information related to your hearing.
  3. The first test that is conducted is the pure tone hearing test. This is conducted in a soundproof booth. Headphones that are connected to an audiometer will be placed over your ears. The audiometer transmits a series of tones at a variety of volumes into your ears to determine the exact point or "threshold" at which you can hear various frequencies of sounds. When you hear a sound, you will be asked to raise your hand.
  5. The results of your tests will be recorded on a form called an audiogram which will be reviewed with you. The audiogram reflects your hearing loss in pitches (frequencies) and loudness (decibels). You will be shown the type, pattern and degree of hearing loss, as well as the percentage of normal conversational speech that you are still able to understand. Your results will be explained to you so that you will understand how your hearing loss affects communication.
  6. The next step is to consider treatment solutions.