During Hearing Health Awareness Month, we’re asking more people to get routine hearing assessments in South Washington.
This is because many live for years with an underlying condition, which worsens over time without them knowing.
Hearing loss doesn’t just affect your ability to hear different sounds but also your mental and physical wellbeing.
This is what you can expect when you come for a potentially life-enhancing hearing assessment at Sound Audiology.
It’s great to see you!
When you first walk through the doors of Sound Audiology’s offices – in either Richland, Walla Walla, or Pasco – you’ll sense the team’s enthusiasm from the start.
That’s because when someone takes their first steps to better hearing, we feel it’s something to be celebrated.
Everyone will be so pleased to see you.
Following initial greetings, you’ll fill out some brief paperwork, which our patient care coordinators can help you with if you need it.
Then, you’ll be ready to meet your audiologist for the first time.
Let’s get to know you
Your audiologist won’t begin their tests right away, like in some hearing healthcare centers. Instead, they’ll want to find out more about your specific challenges and expectations.
This is a crucial part of the process, as your feedback and thoughts can determine how your audiologist approaches the assessment.
In addition, they’ll ask you some background questions about your general medical history and whether members of your family have ever experienced hearing issues.
This is because hearing loss isn’t necessarily related to what happens in your ears.
Rather, it can result from a whole range of health conditions and is sometimes passed down by family members.
The hearing tests
After gathering all this relevant information, your audiologist will proceed to the testing phase of the assessment.
Most of these will take place in the dedicated sound booth, where you’ll put on a pair of headphones and follow simple instructions
For example, to measure the threshold of your hearing, your audiologist will play a series of beeps to you, which will decline in volume.
All you’ll have to do is press a button when you hear a sound.
After every test is completed, your audiologist will bring you back to their office to discuss the results.
What’s the best direction?
The data from these tests will paint a clear picture of your hearing ability and demonstrate what might be the best hearing solution for you going forward.
Some might benefit from a referral to an ENT physician.
But others will be great candidates for hearing aids, and if this is the case, your audiologist will work with you to find the right device and prescription.
They will also discuss rehabilitation techniques and strategies with you, which can help to manage your symptoms.
In truth, many people’s hearing loss won’t ever disappear.
But the experts at Sound Audiology can let you experience a whole world of forgotten sounds through advanced treatments.
Are you concerned about hearing loss or know someone else who is? Contact the team at Sound Audiology and they can help you now!
