What Happens at a Hearing Assessment?

What Happens at a Hearing Assessment?

by | Apr 19, 2021 | Hearing Loss, Hearing Test, Industry News, Patient Resources

Despite being one of our most important senses, hearing doesn’t usually get the care it needs or deserves. Hearing loss affects one-eighth of all Americans, and with the rise in technology and the use of headphones, there is more strain than ever on our hearing.

Problems with hearing present themselves very gradually and thus make it easy for patients to learn to live with their condition. This is not necessary and in most cases, it is causing more damage to your ears.

Hearing is a very important part of life and it’s important to treat it with care just like going to the dentist, optometrist, or physician. Your road to better hearing starts with a comprehensive hearing assessment. Here’s what you need to know.

Scheduling

With personalized service, our providers at Audiology Associates, Inc. will be happy to arrange the best time that works for you. It all starts here to get the ball rolling.

Once you arrive at one of our offices, you are greeted with a warm and safe welcome. At which point, you will meet privately with one of our staff members to discuss your unique situation.

We want to know what brought you to us, what a normal day looks like for you, and about your regular activities. This is to gauge the level of stress you are incurring on your ears.

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The Hearing Test (no studying required)

Hearing assessments are a painless way to monitor your hearing. We administer a few simple tests that will evaluate your hearing and give feedback on your current status. The test happens in two stages:

Physical Inspection — Your specialist will thoroughly examine the physicalities of your inner, middle, and outer ear. This is to check for any blockages from wax buildup or any growths. We are also looking for any damage to the eardrum itself among other conditions.

Sound Booth — Next, we have you put on simple headphones and run a series of tests designed to evaluate different aspects of your hearing.

Pure Tone — In this test, we will transmit various tones at different pitches and volumes while you indicate which ones you hear. This will identify the lowest tone you are able to hear at different frequencies.

Speech Audiometry — Similar to the pure tone test, we will transmit different tones but delivered through speech. This mimics more of a real-world scenario. You will then be required to repeat back what you hear.

Speech Over Background Noise — With a much less catchy name, this test will reveal the true status of your hearing. By drowning out voices, this is the stage at which patients come to the realization that they may have an issue with their hearing.

Results & Treatment

Once all your information is collected, our team puts all your information into what is called an “audiogram.” Although not as fun as it may sound, an audiogram is very helpful in determining where your hearing stands.

This graph will highlight where you are hearing well and what you are struggling to hear, allowing us to put a plan in place in order to help you hear better.

If you have any concerns and would like a comprehensive hearing test to determine if you have any form of a hearing loss, then you can schedule an appointment by completing the form here or calling us at (410) 944-3100.

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Dr. Melissa Segev Au.D, F.A.A.A.

Dr. Segev, co-owner of Audiology Associates, proudly represents the values of excellent patient care upon which her practice was established in 1977. She understands that to properly treat the patient, excellent state-of-the-art medical testing is required along with acute listening and understanding of the patient’s perceptions of how they are feeling and what their needs might be.

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