Hearing Testing
How to Know if You Have Hearing Loss
For most people, hearing loss doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s gradual, slowly getting worse over the years. This gradualness can be deceiving, and can cause many people to be unsure that what they’re experiencing is really hearing loss.
Why having a hearing test is important
If you have noticed a change in your hearing, it's important to get a hearing test. It's also important to get a hearing test yearly if you are over age 50 since many losses are a gradual decline and may not be as noticeable to you. Studies have proven that there is a correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline. Age-related hearing loss may be linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline. From the Mayo Clinic, several large studies have shown that people who have a degree of hearing loss, even in midlife, have an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. Using hearing aids to aid in your comprehension can slow that decline. 1
Hearing tests are the definitive way to measure hearing loss
The best way to determine for sure if you have hearing loss is to test and measure it. You can start by using our free online hearing test. This short, simple screening tool is easy to use, and you can do it from home on your computer or smart tablet.
You can also try our hearing loss simulator. This interactive tool demonstrates what hearing loss sounds like — from mild hearing loss to severe, and in a variety of situations and environments.
The most accurate hearing tests are done in office
To get an accurate hearing measurement, however, a visit to our office is recommended. Here we have the proper equipment, calibrated testing tools, and sound-proof facility needed to measure your hearing with precision.
Tests we recommend:
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Sound Field Testing takes place in a sound-isolated room via speakers
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Tone test to measure how softly you can hear tones of different pitches (which will be charted on an audiogram).
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Speech test where you are asked to repeat words and/or sentences you hear at different volumes.
We’ll display the results of your test in an audiogram, which accurately charts the type, degree and configuration of your hearing loss.
1 https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-how-hearing-affects-your-brain-health/