Hearing tests are essential for evaluating your auditory health and providing tailored recommendations based on your individual needs and lifestyle. Whether you suspect hearing loss or require routine exams for your job, a comprehensive hearing test is crucial. At Blue Ridge Hearing, our experienced team can perform the necessary tests to accurately diagnose your condition and suggest the best path forward. With a thorough assessment process, a treatment plan is created with the maximum effectiveness.
Why is a Hearing Evaluation Important?
Scheduling an evaluation is a crucial step in maintaining healthy hearing. Hearing loss impacts communication, relationships and many day-to-day activities. Early detection is possible with a hearing assessment, with a high chance of getting a treatment plan for timely interventions.
Hearing deterioration is a possible outcome for any individual that doesn’t prioritize the importance of hearing evaluations. This is why Blue Ridge Hearing emphasizes the importance of noticing hearing difficulties before they become chronic. Some high-risk groups like industrial workers are at a disadvantage based on personal lifestyle. By making smart choices early, it becomes easier to engage with the world to maintain a vibrant, connected life.
What to Expect During a Hearing Evaluation?
Everyone that visits the clinic can expect a thorough and personalized experience. The process begins with a detailed case history. This information is necessary so that the hearing instrument specialist can make active decisions about necessary tests and accommodations. Any delay in this information will have an impact on the accuracy of the results. Before each test, an explanation is provided so that the individual is comfortable during the process. After the complete assessment, a discussion takes place about current hearing health and available treatment options.
Common Tests
Pure-tone testing, speech audiometry and tympanometry are the three most common hearing assessments. Each tests completes the full evaluation to form the larger picture of hearing health. Pure-tone tests the ability to hear sounds at different frequences and intensities. Speech audiometry requires listening to and repeating words at different volumes. Tympanometry tests multiple middle ear functions to find issues like fluid in the ear, eustachian tube dysfunction and eardrum perforations.
As part of the evaluation, other tests may be performed on a case-by-case basis. Otoacoustic emissions testing is important to detect hearing loss in newborns and young children. And auditory brainstem response testing is a non-invasive way to diagnose issues related to the auditory nerve and brainstem.
Understanding Your Results
Understanding your hearing test results is crucial for taking the next steps in your hearing health journey. After your evaluation at Blue Ridge Hearing, our specialists will carefully explain your results, detailing the type and degree of hearing loss, if present. You’ll learn about the different frequencies and sound levels you can hear and any specific patterns in your hearing ability. This comprehensive discussion will help you understand the implications of your results and guide you in making informed decisions about potential treatments or hearing aids that best suit your needs and lifestyle. Our goal is to ensure you feel confident and well-informed about your hearing health.