HEARING TEST
Do you ever feel like people are talking to themselves? Sometimes, it’s because you can’t hear them.
Hearing loss is not only an inconvenience but a public health issue. More than five million Americans suffer from some form of hearing impairment and nearly one-third of these cases were caused by noise exposure at work or during leisure time. If your family members have been complaining about the loudness of TV or speakers when you’re around, it might be time for a hearing test.
For a doctor, routine hearing tests are really just to make sure that you can still hear. That being said, if they ask you for one at any point in time, know that it’s only because they care.
For the most part, doctors won’t even recommend hearing tests unless there is some reason for concern. But don’t worry about it – your ears will be checked out and tested every few years as a way of staying on top of things.
Traditional vs Online Hearing Test
We know how important it is to have your hearing tested, but you may not want to go through the hassle of going to a hearing clinic and getting an expensive test done. You might think “I’ll just do an online hearing test instead.” It’s convenient, less invasive than other tests and cheaper. But what if you’re wrong? What if you don’t actually need help with your hearing? The results can be unsettling when they’re inaccurate because it means that you could potentially turn down or even lose out on opportunities in life for something as simple as poor hearing health.
Online hearing tests are convenient and quick, but they can’t tell you if your hearing is normal or not. They also can’t provide any advice on how to improve your situation.
At PA Center for Hearing and Balance,we use state-of-the-art equipment that will give us more information about your ears than an online service could ever offer.
HEARING TEST RESULTS
An audiogram is a graph that shows the softest sounds a person can hear at different pitches or frequencies. The closer the marks are to the top of the graph, the softer and higher pitched sounds they can hear.
An adult is considered to have normal hearing ability if they can hear noises anywhere between 0 and 25 dB across the frequency range. A child will have a normal hearing ability if their responses indicate that they heard noises between 0 and 15 dB across the frequency range.
You can either go to an audiologist or a specialist for hearing tests. PA Center for Hearing and Balance, Springfield PA offers hearing tests and consultations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A typical hearing test may take around 20-30 minutes. If you’re scared or worried about getting a hearing test, allow your fears to dissipate because this process will be brief and noninvasive.
When it is your turn to undergo a hearing test, be prepared for the following: You will be asked to wear earphones and listen to short tones or audio prompts that are played at different pitches and volumes, one ear at a time. This hearing test includes both high and low pitches so it can determine whether you can hear them well enough.
The sound of your own voice is a unique way to tell if you are experiencing hearing loss. There are many different things that can affect this like surrounding noise, ear wax buildup, and injury to the inner ear or outer ear canal. The test will usually be conducted in a soundproof room where you will listen to your own voice on playback while wearing high quality headphones.
A hearing test will also determine whether you are picking up loud or quiet sounds and establish if you have hearing loss on the left and/or right ear. There are also some hearing tests where you will be asked to listen to speech at different volume levels, one ear at a time – repeating words said aloud in sequence. This type of hearing test may be done in a noiseless room with special equipment designed for sensitive ears.
We all know that hearing loss can be subtle at first. It’s hard to notice the effects of it because your brain is able to compensate for it.
The problem with not noticing your own hearing loss is that you may never seek help until it’s too late.
To prevent this from happening, taking a hearing test is the best thing to do. If you are in Springfield, PA, visit us at PA Center for Hearing and Balance for a detailed hearing test.
If you’re like most people, the idea of getting a hearing test doesn’t sound appealing at all. You might think that there’s no point in doing so because you feel just fine and your ears seem to work just fine.
But if you won’t do anything about it, not only will it make other people feel uncomfortable around you but eventually it could lead to bigger problems for yourself as well. It is much better to be safe than sorry after all.
After a hearing test, you’re probably wondering what happens next.
You may not have even known there were different types of treatment until now. This is where it can get overwhelming and confusing for some people.
Our staff and audiologists at PA Center for Hearing and Balance will help answer the most common questions after a hearing test and how each type of treatment works. It’s our hope that we can make your life easier by providing answers to these questions in one place.
A hearing test is done in a sound-proof room, where you will wear headphones or earplugs with a device that sends different sounds to each ear. You’ll be asked to raise your hand or press the button when you hear a sound.
It is frustrating to continually ask people to repeat themselves constantly. Hearing loss has been linked to a variety of health concerns, including depression and dementia.
For children, early identification of hearing loss can greatly help prevent negative impacts on a child’s speech, language development, education and social skills.
People who are fitted with hearing aids in the early stages of hearing loss significantly reduce their risk of suffering from cognitive decline. This is important because people that suffer from a lack of sound can often have difficulties with speech, language development and education.
The early detection and management of hearing loss is essential for successful treatment. Don’t let hearing loss take a toll on your life – come swing by PA Center for Hearing and Balance and let us take care of your hearing health.
Hear Better. Live Better.
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130 S. State Road,
Suite 201 Springfield, PA 19064 -
905 West Sproul Rd,
Suite 201 Springfield, PA 19064 - 610-438-5203