What Happens at a Hearing Test?

We know what happens when we get our eyes tested by an optician. But what happens during a hearing appointment with an audiologist?

At Sound Audiology, our dedicated doctors take steps to ensure we can identify your hearing issue and find the best treatment solution.

Want to know more? Here’s how it works.

Personal Background

An audiologist begins the appointment by asking patients about their personal history, lifestyle, and particular concerns regarding hearing loss.

They do this to build a detailed picture of how a person’s daily experiences and background may have contributed to their specific health issue and help determine future needs.

The time audiologists spend listening to each individual is precious. Often, there are significant clues to a correct diagnosis and course of treatment in a person’s life story.

Hearing Evaluation

An audiologist will then undertake a complete hearing evaluation. This is a detailed inspection of a patient’s ears, investigating any clear and present problems.

They begin with a preliminary check with otoscopy to determine whether there are any obvious issues with their ear canal or eardrum.

They’ll then conduct a tympanometry test to examine a patient’s middle ear system. Once completed, they can rule out specific issues, like fluid build-up or a perforated eardrum.

After this, they’ll begin what most people view as a traditional hearing test. First, they’ll ask a patient to respond to different sounds when prompted, followed by a series of speech tests.

This is a highly scientific process. for example, an audiologist will change a sound’s pitch, volume, and frequency to see how particular patients react to the procedure.

Here, an audiologist will examine a person’s hearing and determine how efficiently their brain is processing speech signals.

A Special Service

Sound Audiology knows that taking a hearing test can be daunting. So our experts make it easy for patients to share this experience with their families.

They take patients’ diagnoses very seriously and don’t make assumptions based on general assessments but target key issues regarding individual circumstances.

Sound Audiology’s staff truly cares about its patient's well-being and believes each person deserves to achieve the best solution possible for their hearing.

Do you want the expertise of our leading audiologists? Click here to schedule an appointment at one of our Richland, Walla Walla, or Pasco locations today!