If you have noticed changes in your hearing, you may be unsure about what happens during a hearing assessment. You might be asking people to repeat themselves more often, finding conversations difficult in busy places or turning the television up higher than usual.
A hearing assessment is designed to provide a clearer understanding of how well you are hearing and whether there may be an underlying hearing difficulty. At Abeer’s Ear Health Clinic, the assessment is carried out in a professional and supportive setting, with time to discuss your concerns and explain the results.
When Should You Consider a Hearing Assessment?
Hearing changes can develop gradually, which means they are not always immediately noticeable. Some people first become aware of difficulties when communicating with family, friends or colleagues.
You may wish to consider a hearing assessment if you regularly:
Ask people to repeat themselves
Struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments
Find group conversations difficult
Prefer the television or radio at a higher volume than before
Have difficulty hearing on the telephone
Feel that people are speaking unclearly
Rely more heavily on subtitles
Notice a gradual change in your hearing
These experiences do not necessarily mean that you have hearing loss, but an assessment can help establish what may be contributing to your difficulties.
Discussing Your Hearing and Medical History
The assessment begins with a conversation about your hearing. Your audiologist may ask about the difficulties you have noticed, when they started and how they affect your everyday life.
Information about your general health, previous ear problems, noise exposure and family history may also be relevant. Sharing as much useful information as possible can help your audiologist understand your individual circumstances.
At Abeer’s Ear Health Clinic, the aim is to understand the person as well as the hearing concern rather than relying on a test result alone.
Examining Your Ears
An examination of the ears can form an important part of a hearing assessment. Otoscopy involves looking into the ear canal and examining the eardrum.
This can help identify visible issues that may affect hearing or require further attention. Excess ear wax can block part of the ear canal and may make sounds seem quieter or less clear.
If the examination highlights an ear problem, your audiologist will explain the findings and advise you on what to do next.
What Happens During the Hearing Tests?
Different hearing tests can be used to assess how you respond to sounds and speech.
Pure-tone audiometry measures how well you hear different tones at different pitches and volumes. You normally respond when you hear a sound so that your hearing sensitivity can be assessed across a range of frequencies.
Speech audiometry can also be used to assess your ability to hear and understand speech. The results can also help show whether changes in hearing are affecting your ability to follow and understand speech.
The tests are carried out in a controlled environment and your audiologist will explain what you need to do before each part of the assessment.
Understanding Your Hearing Results
Once the assessment has been completed, the results can be discussed with you. Understanding what the results mean is an important part of the appointment.
Your audiologist can explain any identified hearing difficulties and how these may relate to the problems you have been experiencing in everyday situations.
Recommendations should be based on your individual hearing needs and circumstances. You may not need any further treatment, or you may benefit from monitoring your hearing over time.
Where hearing aids may be appropriate, your options can be discussed and explained before you make a decision.
What If You Need Hearing Aids?
If your assessment indicates that hearing aids could help, Abeer’s Ear Health Clinic also provides hearing aid fitting and programming.
The choice of hearing aid can depend on your hearing requirements, lifestyle, preferences and budget. The clinic offers different styles and technologies, with guidance on using and caring for the devices.
A fitting is not simply about supplying a hearing aid. The device needs to be programmed according to your hearing requirements, and follow-up support can help ensure that it continues to work comfortably for you.
Preparing for Your Hearing Assessment
There is usually no need to feel nervous about having your hearing assessed. It can be helpful to think beforehand about the situations where you notice difficulties.
For example, consider whether you struggle more in restaurants, during telephone conversations, when watching television or when several people are speaking at once.
If you have previous hearing test results or information about ear treatment, it may also be useful to bring these to your appointment.
Book a Hearing Assessment
Understanding your hearing can help you make informed decisions about your hearing health. If you have noticed changes in the way you hear or communicate, a professional hearing assessment can provide a clearer picture of your hearing.
Abeer’s Ear Health Clinic provides hearing assessments for adults and children, with appointments available in Birmingham and surrounding areas including Edgbaston and Harborne.
To discuss your hearing concerns or arrange an assessment, contact Abeer’s Ear Health Clinic.
Telephone: 07833 005051
Email: hello@abeersearhealthclinic.co.uk
