Hearing loss is a widespread hearing condition, although screening for hearing loss is often neglected by adults at risk for hearing loss.
Anyone can experience hearing loss. As many as 60% of adults between the ages of 19 and 79 have experienced some form of hearing loss in the last year, including temporary hearing loss, and the condition becomes more common in older demographics.
When Should You Start Getting Your Hearing Tested?
There is a distinction between having your hearing tested and having your hearing screened. Hearing tests are conducted when you suspect that you have hearing loss and are experiencing hearing loss symptoms. You should have your hearing tested if you struggle to hear conversations in loud environments or experience other symptoms of hearing loss.
Screening for hearing loss is done when you have no symptoms of hearing loss. The process is less complicated than testing. The World Health Organization recommends having your hearing screened starting at age 50.
However, as you get older, you may want to have your hearing tested even if you have not recognized any symptoms of hearing loss. A hearing test will help you establish a base line against which future hearing tests can be compared.
How Often Should You Get Your Hearing Tested?
The World Health Organization recommends having your hearing screened every five years between the ages of 50 and 65 and then screening every 1 to 3 years.
If you have confirmed hearing loss, you should have your hearing tested on a schedule discussed with your audiologist. Hearing loss is progressive and may worsen over time.
What to Expect During Your Hearing Test
At the beginning of your appointment, you will be asked to complete a needs assessment and case history intake form that will provide your audiologist with information about your needs and desired outcomes. The audiologist will discuss appropriate treatment options, which may include hearing aids, medical intervention with your family physician or an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) physician, or communication strategies that can assist with day-to-day hearing challenges.
The hearing test itself will then apply several methods of assessing the type, severity, and cause of hearing loss. The following assessments are used by Toronto Hearing Consultants, an independent audiology clinic, during their hearing tests:
Otoscopy: An otoscope will be used to examine the outer ear and eardrum. The examination checks for abnormalities in the eardrum, wax buildup, and potential infections.
Tympanometry: This step examines the middle ear and determines the eardrum’s responsiveness to low-pitched sounds.
Air Conduction Thresholds: The audiologist will then play a number of beeps at varying pitches (from 250 Hz to 800 Hz) to find the softest sound that the patient can hear. This is the range at which most everyday communication takes place and evaluates the patient’s threshold of hearing.
Bone Conduction Thresholds: The audiologist then determines the type and degree of hearing loss by placing a metal headband with a bone oscillator on the patient’s head. This test measures the inner ear’s response to sounds played at different frequencies.
Speech Testing: Speech testing evaluates the patient’s ability to recognize words played at different volumes or with background noise playing. This is particularly important for patients who report difficulty following conversations in noisy environments.
Having your hearing tested is critical as you age. If you leave hearing loss untested and untreated, you can feel isolated during social events, struggle with your workplace performance, and experience higher rates of depression. Get your hearing tested with an audiologist.
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