Have you been asking people to repeat themselves a lot? Do you find that you turn the volume up high on your TV and radio? Have you been avoiding social engagements because it’s too difficult to focus with various conversations around you?

If so, you may be experiencing hearing loss. If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, the first step toward improving your hearing health to schedule an appointment for a hearing exam.

Hearing exams are painless and noninvasive, and they are quite quick! At Custom Hearing Solutions, we understand the nervousness you may experience at the thought of taking a medical exam. That’s why we’d like to take you through the steps – to show you just how simple a hearing exam is.

When you first come in for your hearing exam, you’ll meet with a hearing specialist. During this meeting, you’ll discuss the times you experience difficulty hearing. Take note of the time of day, and the environment you are in, when you struggle to hear.

Your hearing specialist will also ask you about your personal and family medical history, to determine whether there is a history of hearing loss. If you are on medication and/or are experiencing other medical issues, please indicate this to your hearing specialist, as it could have an effect on your hearing.

You will also be asked to provide information on your lifestyle, daily activities, employment, athletics, hobbies, and so on. This gives your hearing specialist a better picture of your daily life – and in the event you do require hearing treatment, it will help determine the best fit for you.

Following the consultation, your hearing specialist will examine your head and ear area. Using an otoscope, your hearing specialist will inspect your ears, checking the canals and ear drums for any signs of injury or damage. They will also check to see if there is any blockage in your canals, perhaps due to earwax buildup. This step is painless and noninvasive.

To test your hearing, your hearing specialist will ask you to sit in a soundproof room or booth, and put on headphones.

In the first test, your hearing specialist will play a series of tones at varying volumes through your headphones. When you hear a sound, you will be asked to raise your hand to indicate. This test, the pure-tone test, will determine the softest sounds you are able to hear.

In another test, your hearing specialist will read a series of words to you at different volumes and standing at varying distances from you. This test helps to determine your speech recognition abilities.

Hearing loss tends to compromise a person’s speech recognition, and this test will indicate your ability to hear speech and anticipate speech patterns. You will be asked to repeat the words or phrases your hearing specialist has read aloud.

The results of your hearing tests are recorded on an audiogram, a visual representation of your hearing abilities, mapped by ear. The audiogram will indicate the degree and configuration of hearing loss – if a hearing loss is present. The speech recognition test results will be recorded as a percentage.

After your tests are complete, your hearing specialist will sit down with you to review the results of your audiogram. They will explain to you the current state of your hearing abilities.

If a hearing loss is present, your hearing specialist will recommend a course of action. Most commonly, hearing loss is treated with the prescription of hearing aids. Hearing aids are customized to meet specific hearing needs. Based on your earlier consultation with your hearing specialist, and the configuration and degree of your hearing loss, your specialist will recommend the best device to meet your needs

Are you experiencing changes in your hearing? It is important to visit us as soon as possible, to ensure your best hearing health. Contact us at Custom Hearing Solutions to schedule a hearing exam today!