More than one in 10 people in the United States live with some degree of hearing loss. Although hearing loss is extremely common, the process of identifying the signs and seeking a medical diagnosis is murky for many people. Let’s look at a few of the steps involved in hearing loss diagnosis to help you better understand and approach the process confidently.
Step One: Understand the Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can develop in different ways. For some, it may occur suddenly after exposure to loud noises. However, for many people, it progresses gradually over time. Here are a few signs that you might be experiencing hearing loss:
- Difficulty understanding others, especially in noisy environments
- Asking others to repeat themselves or feeling that everyone is mumbling
- Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds like children’s voices or birds chirping in Faulkner Park
- Turning up the television or radio louder than usual
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Step Two: Schedule a Hearing Test
Your audiologist will use a hearing test to identify your type and degree of hearing loss. A few common types of tests may include:
- Pure-tone audiometry. During pure-tone testing, you’ll wear headphones and signal when you hear a sound to measure your ability to understand different pitches and volumes.
- Speech audiometry. During speech audiometry, you’ll listen to and repeat back words in sentences at different volumes to evaluate your ability to understand speech.
- Tympanometry. Tympanometry is mainly used to identify issues with the middle ear. During the test, a device sends air into the ear canal to measure how well the eardrum moves in response to pressure.
Step Three: Going over the Results
Once you complete the necessary tests, your audiologist or hearing specialist will review the results with you. These results may include:
- Type of hearing loss—whether conductive (middle and outer ear), sensorineural (inner ear) or mixed (outer, middle and inner ear)
- The degree of hearing loss from mild to profound
Step Four: Discuss Possible Causes
Your audiologist will consider your medical history and test results to identify the underlying cause of your hearing loss. A few common causes include aging, noise exposure, ototoxic medication (medication damaging the ear), genetics, ear infections and blocked Eustachian tubes.
Step Five: Discuss Treatment Options
Treatment options will vary depending on the cause of your hearing loss but may include hearing aids, cochlear implants, surgery, medication to clear up any infections or assistive listening devices.
Diagnosing and seeking treatment for hearing loss may seem like a long road, but it is well worth the effort. To start your journey, contact SoundLogic today for an appointment with one of our specialists.