If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, struggle to follow conversations in noisy places or frequently ask others to repeat themselves, it’s time for a hearing test. The hearing professionals at Midwest Ear Institute make testing simple and comfortable.
Understanding your hearing is the first step toward better communication – whether you need hearing aids, other devices or just confirmation that your hearing is healthy. We take time to answer your questions and discuss any next steps that might help you hear better.
Why Hearing Tests Are Important
Hearing tests are the first step in addressing whatever hearing system health issues you’ve been experiencing. They tell us if you have hearing loss, how severe it is and what may be causing it. Testing can also reveal whether you have any co-occurring conditions, like tinnitus.
Your hearing professional will use that information to create a personalized care recommendation. You need this kind of personalized hearing care to address your issues effectively. Otherwise, you could spend time and money on potential solutions that don’t end up leading anywhere.
What to Expect During Your Evaluation
Hearing evaluations generally only take an hour to complete. We offer a variety of different testing in our office to ensure we get to the bottom of your issues, including:
- Pure-tone audiometry: Measures the softest sounds you can hear at different pitches to determine the type and severity of hearing loss.
- Speech audiometry: Tests your ability to hear and understand speech at various volumes, helping assess speech recognition.
- Tympanometry: Measures eardrum movement in response to pressure changes, helping detect middle ear issues like fluid or ear infections.
- Otoacoustic emissions (OAE): Measures sound waves produced by the inner ear to check cochlear function, often used in newborn screenings.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR): Assesses nerve pathways between the ear and brain by measuring electrical activity in response to sound, used for more complex hearing issues.
We often recommend bringing a family member with you to this appointment. It’s nice to have a supportive person with you, and they can help you remember and understand any complicated information you may forget. Plus, they’ll ensure you ask all of those lingering questions you may have during your initial appointment.
Getting Your Results
The next step will depend on the results we find during testing. If you need a hearing aid, we’ll help you order a device from a manufacturer. Then, we’ll schedule a follow-up appointment for fitting and programming.
If your tests reveal a more serious concern, we may recommend further testing or additional forms of care. Midwest Ear Institute offers most common forms of hearing care in our offices – including surgery. So, we’ll be able to support you through whatever issues we discover during testing.