Undergoing a hearing test is always a good choice to assess your hearing ability and overall wellbeing. Hearing tests provide useful insight into your hearing health and can be crucial in identifying hearing loss, which can lead to an effective treatment.

If you have never had a hearing test before, then you may be wondering what you can expect from the process, and perhaps even if there are different types of hearing tests and which you may expect to undergo during your first appointment. Here’s everything you need to know.

Are there different types of hearing test?

Yes, audiologists actually have a variety of different tests that they can use to assess a person’s ability to hear. Some tests are used to ascertain whether you have hearing loss and how it should be treated, while others focus on identifying the type of hearing loss you may be experiencing – which is also important when considering treatment options.

What are the most common types of hearing test?

By far, the most common type of hearing test is a pure-tone test. For this test, you will sit in a soundproof booth and wear a pair of headphones. Whenever you hear a sound through the headphones, you can indicate this to your audiologist – you may be asked to press a button, say yes or raise your hand. The results of the test will then be detailed on an audiogram, which can then be used to ascertain the level of hearing loss you are experiencing (if any).

In addition to a pure-tone audiometry test, your audiologist may administer a speech test. This test involves listening to speech and then repeating back the words that you can hear and understand. In addition, this test also seeks to establish your speech recognition threshold, which is the quietest level of speech that you can hear 50% of the time.

Finally, your audiologist may also suggest a bone conduction test. This test uses sound rather than vibrations to test hearing ability and can be useful in determining the type of hearing loss you may be experiencing.

Other tests are also available, including acoustic reflex testing to determine the location of any hearing problems you may be experiencing, and tympanometry, which tests how your eardrum responds to pressure and can help determine if you are experiencing issues such as fluid or wax buildup.

If you are not sure which hearing test will be administered at your first appointment, then you can contact your audiologist and ask for an overview of which tests you should expect during your appointment.

Do any hearing tests require preparation?

Not necessarily, but you can help ensure a more accurate result if you:

  • Have any excessive earwax professionally removed before the appointment
  • Avoid loud noises for two days before your test to ensure the most accurate results

When you arrange your appointment, you can also ask your audiologist if they recommend you undertake any specific preparation for your test.