How to Understand Your Hearing Test

Are you worried that you might be losing your hearing or that you could be experiencing hearing loss? If so, then you need to make sure that you are scheduling an appointment with an audiologist. As the name suggests, a hearing test is used to check whether your hearing is at a typical level. Similar to an eye exam it provides support and answers the question of whether or not you need treatment, usually in the form of hearing aids. 

Many people often find it difficult to understand the results of their hearing test. That’s what we’re going to explore in this article. 

What is an audiogram? 

During your hearing test, you will need to answer a number of questions. You will also need to respond to different noises, usually clicking a button when you are able to hear a particular noise. In some cases, you may also need to respond to whether or not you can hear certain words as well. The whole process will typically take about half an hour.

When you are finished, you will be presented with audiogram. An audiogram reveals all the information from your hearing test whether you are experiencing from a significant level of hearing loss. It’s worth noting that you can be experiencing mild, moderate or significant levels of hearing loss. As well as this, a hearing test will also demonstrate the type of hearing loss. It will show whether you have difficulty hearing certain pitches or frequencies. It will also demonstrate whether you have issues with word recognition. 

This is something that many people are often not aware of. A hearing test does not just measure your ability to hear noises at certain volumes. 

Why are there two lines? 

One of the first things that you might notice about your audiogram is that there are two lines. This is quite simple. Each line represents one of your ears and this is used to determine whether you have asymmetrical or symmetrical hearing loss. With asymmetrical hearing loss, there will be substantial differences between your ability to hear in each ear. That will be shown by the lines being at different levels. 

High frequency and low frequency

Frequency is measured in hertz and this determines the type of noises that you might have difficulty hearing. If you have high frequency hearing loss somewhere around 8000 hertz, then it’s possible that you are going to struggle to hear the voices of both women and children. In contrast low frequency hearing loss will mean that lower noises are more difficult to understand. The levels here are going to differ from person to person. 

Decibels

This is shown by Os on the graph. The final O on the right-hand side determines the extent of your hearing loss. For instance, this might be at the 68-decibel mark. This means that you won’t be able to hear anything below this volume and that could include the noises of birds. 

What if the hearing test reveals no issues?

It is possible that a hearing test reveals no issues with your hearing at all or that it is at the right level. If that’s the case then your hearing loss could be neurological. In situations like that, you will often be referred to a specialist. 

It is also possible that you do have hearing loss but during an examination your audiologist discovered a physical cause. This could be impacted earwax or potentially a growth in your ear. In cases like this, hearing loss can be curable, and the solution can usually be provided by the audiologist at the appointment. 

Usually, if there are significant changes to your hearing, the recommendation will be hearing aids. There are certain exceptions to this. For instance, it’s possible that word recognition is below a certain threshold. While different audiologists use different levels, the general rule is anything below 50% and hearing aids may not be recommended. Similarly, you might have mild hearing loss. In this case, hearing aids won’t always be the right answer. Instead, it will depend on how much the hearing loss is impacting your life. 

We hope this helps you understand your hearing test. If you want to learn more about Rametta Audiology & Hearing Aid Center contact Tarentum at (724) 409-4439, or Vandergrift at (724) 567-3233. They will be able to provide you with expert advice and support or book your hearing test to ensure that you can get the right level of support.