A hearing test usually takes no longer than 30 minutes. Your audiologist will explain the results to you immediately after the test.
Here’s how the process works.
When you come into an audiologist’s office for a hearing test, your doctor will first ask you about your hearing and what you’ve been experiencing. They’ll then run the test.
During a standard hearing test, you’ll wear a pair of headphones that will test one ear at a time, playing sounds at different volumes that gradually become quieter. You’ll press a button each time you hear the sound. The idea is to identify the quietest sounds you can detect, and where your hearing ability stops.
The audiologist may also test your inner ear, or cochlea, to see if you have nerve damage in this area. You’ll wear a headband fitted with a pad that sends vibrations directly to the bones in your inner ear. This is painless, and you’ll experience these vibrations as sounds.
As with the standard hearing test, these sounds will get gradually quieter and you’ll press a button each time you detect a sound. In this way, we can pinpoint the limits and sensitivity of your hearing.
Not every audiologist’s process is the same. Some may play rushing noises into the ear that isn’t being tested, to reduce or eliminate ambient noise in that ear while they test the other one. Depending on the symptoms you’re experiencing, you may be subject to other types of tests as well.
Once your test is completed, you’ll see the results on a chart called an audiogram. The audiologist will discuss your results with you during the same visit, and go over treatment options.
Make an Appointment Today in Manhattan or Brooklyn
Not sure whether you’re experiencing hearing loss? Get your hearing tested and your questions answered. Schedule an initial consultation at our Brooklyn or Manhattan offices, call (212) 966-3886 or email us at hello@nyhear.com.
