Online Hearing Test

Now that you’ve learned some of the facts about hearing loss and Sound Voids™, you can take the first steps toward prevention or treatment. The following questionnaire has been adapted from a self-assessment tool created by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Please take the time to answer each question as accurately as possible.

When To Get A Hearing Test

Most hearing loss develops gradually, so the signs are difficult to detect. Ask yourself these questions to test how you are hearing:
  
1. Do people seem to mumble or speak in a softer voice more than they use to?

 YES
 NO

2. Do you feel tired or irritable after a long conversation?

 YES
 NO

3. Do you sometimes miss key words in a sentence?

 YES
 NO

4. Do you frequently need to ask people to repeat themselves?

 YES
 NO

5. Do you have difficulty understanding the conversation in a crowded room?

 YES
 NO

6. Do you often turn the volume up on the TV or radio?

 YES
 NO

7. Does background noise bother you?

 YES
 NO

8. Is it sometimes hard to hear the conversation on the telephone?

 YES
 NO

9. Do you sometimes not hear the doorbell or telephone ring?

 YES
 NO

10. Are your family or friends complaining about your hearing?

 YES
 NO

 
If you answered YES to two or more of these questions, you should schedule a hearing test by a clinician. Following that testing, the audiologist can tell you whether you have a hearing loss, as well as the nature and extent of the hearing loss. If a hearing loss is detected, the audiologist will recommend the appropriate course of action.

Do You Need A Hearing Test?
Your hearing is a precious gift – one you need to take care of or run the risk of losing it. An important part of hearing care is having your hearing checked periodically. There are several levels of hearing evaluation, from a basic hearing test to more complex diagnostic tests for specific problems.

 
Basic Hearing Testing
A basic hearing test is performed in a quiet area (preferably a Sound Booth) with an audiometer, a device that produces various pitch sounds (frequencies) at different levels (intensities). The person responds to the sounds by either raising his/her hand or pushing a button. Results are then charted on an audiogram, which gives the audiologist an indication of whether hearing is within normal limits or if a problem may exist. If a hearing loss is detected, more testing can be performed to better define the nature and extent and possible cause of the hearing loss. Click here to learn more about hearing tests at our office locations in Traverse City, Cheboygan, Gaylord, and Charlevoix.

 
Additional Hearing Tests
There are many other tests that can be performed by the clinician to understand the extent and possible cause of the loss. Each evaluates a different part of the ear. Some of the typical tests performed are:

• Tympanogram – tests the eardrum and the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum)
• Acoustic reflexes – measures the movement of the tiny bones behind the eardrum
• Speech testing – evaluates the effect of the hearing loss on understanding of speech. Sometimes this is performed both in quiet and with a background noise, using live or recorded voice

 
Call us for a no-obligation hearing screening (800) 977-4327.