Having issues with your hearing? Making an appointment to get tested is the first step. But what does it involve? Here are some things you can expect when you get your hearing assessed.
What’s the hearing assessment process?
1. Book an appointment
You can give us a call or even now book online! Also, giving additional details at the time you make the appointment is very helpful. For example, if you are interested in discussing hearing aids (if warranted) we can book extra time to chat during the same appointment. Did your hearing suddenly become poorer? In this case, getting a hearing exam is treated as an emergency and will be booked as soon as possible.
2. Got wax?
Earwax can interfere with testing. Onsite we can potentially remove it, but only if it is not too hard. If you have a history of excessive wax build up, using oil to loosen it several nights before you have your appointment can make wax removal easier. But remember if you have a hole in your eardrum you can’t use oil to loosen wax!
3. Arriving on test day
Coming in a few minutes before your scheduled time allows you to get settled and fill in some paperwork. Once that’s done we go over your case history, concerns and any questions you have.
After taking a peek into your ears, it is time to put you to work! A combination of tests will be administered. Some tests will require you to stay quiet as the instrument measures how well your eardrum moves. Others will require you to respond, whether that be repeating words or telling us when you hear a sound. How low can we go? That is what we are testing!
Finally we go over the results and make our recommendations. Depending on the results, this may involve going over communication strategies, discussing hearing aids or suggesting referrals to specialists via your family doctor. A copy of the results can be sent to anyone you give us permission to send it to.
Getting tested
With a known hearing loss, having testing every year or two is important to monitor any changes. If you had a hearing test in the past, but have been noticing changes since, it is good to get an updated hearing test. Additionally, if you have had previous hearing tests done at other locations, it can be useful to bring those results along so your new and old test results can be compared. Be sure to make hearing care part of your overall health care.
Common questions
How long does it take? We book an hour for a standard hearing test but we can book some extra time to talk about hearing aids.
Did I actually hear that? The sounds we use can get pretty soft to test your fine hearing. It can be quite low to the point where you won’t be able to hear anything. Testing at this threshold can cause uncertainty of whether you actually heard it. But don’t worry! We always double check to ensure it is an accurate response.
Will my insurance cover the test? Best to contact your insurance provider to see if testing is covered. Typically there is no direct billing for testing so most people pay on the day of testing and submit their receipt for reimbursement afterwards. Worker’s Compensation and Veteran Affairs will usually cover the cost.
Do I need a doctor’s referral? Nope. Just give us a call on your own. We are happy to test anyone between the ages of 4 and 104.
Do you think you need a hearing assessment? Take our short hearing quiz and find out.
