Hearing Center: The Most Effective Tests

If you believe you may be suffering from auditory impairment, there are a number of tests that can be done to confirm or dispel your fears. A hearing center near you may be able to do a simple screening, or you can visit a doctor to get further tests done. In the beginning, the most important thing to do is determine if loss has been sustained and, if so, to what degree damage has been done. From there, you can begin to look into the reasons for the loss, what type of loss it is, and whether or not treatment is available. If not, there are listening devices and aids that can help you cope. Here are the most effective tests available. General Screening These are simple tests that doctors at a hearing center will run as a general guideline to see if further testing is recommended. The doctor will ask the patient to cover one of their ears and then evaluate the patient's response to speech and other sounds. While not entirely scientific, this method is a casual but effective way to judge whether or not the patient may need further testing. If so, the doctor can prescribe more complex testing methods that will give a more definite answer as to whether or not the patient has suffered from some degree of auditory impairment. Tuning Fork Tuning forks are acoustic resonators that are used in the music world to create pitch perfect sounds that can then be used to tune other instruments. You may recognize them as two pronged metal devices. Depending on their length, they will "play" a different note when struck. But while their primary function is in the music world, they can also be used to test a patient's ability to hear. A doctor can use them to not only determine if the patient has lost some of their auditory ability, but also to distinguish between the two different types of hearing loss. This distinction is important, as it may open up or limit treatment options. Audiometer An audiometric test is the most common and effective test. It is usually the test you'll be subjected to at a hearing center, doctor's office, or at most school screenings. This method of testing involves having the subject put on headphones to identify tones and sounds by lifting a finger when they are heard. For even those with a good set of ears, some of the fainter sounds will barely register. This is so the tester can get an exact idea of how good the subject's hearing is. These tests can determine whether you have suffered loss and what degree of amplification you would need in a listening aid.