Hearing Evaluation Specialist

When should I schedule a hearing evaluation?

Hearing loss is common as you get older. If you haven’t had a hearing evaluation as an adult, or if it has been several years since your last evaluation, it’s important to protect your hearing with a baseline assessment.

After your baseline hearing evaluation, your experienced team at Sharp Hearing Care Professionals can recommend how often you should schedule future hearing evaluations based on your risk factors for hearing loss. More importantly, they identify any current hearing loss and provide the treatment you need to improve your hearing.

How does a hearing evaluation differ from a hearing screening?

During a hearing screening, you’re tested to see if you can hear different sounds. You either pass or fail the test.

If you fail, you’ll need a hearing evaluation. An evaluation is an in-depth assessment of your hearing to determine if you have hearing loss, the degree and type of hearing loss, and if you have an ear condition contributing to the problem.

What happens during my hearing evaluation?

Your hearing evaluation begins much like any typical medical exam. Your audiologist at Sharp Hearing Care Professionals reviews your medical and hearing history, which includes important information such as medications you’re taking that could cause hearing loss and your overall exposure to loud sounds.

For the next step, your audiologist examines your outer and inner ears using an otoscope. The device helps your audiologist look for eardrum or ear canal damage, earwax, structural problems, and any signs of infection or obstruction. Finally, your hearing is tested.

How is my hearing tested during an evaluation?

The expert audiologists at Sharp Hearing Care Professionals perform a thorough hearing evaluation, using various testing methods and state-of-the-art equipment to assess your hearing. You receive personalized care throughout your evaluation and individualized treatment if a problem is identified.

Your hearing evaluation includes three key tests: pure tone audiometry, bone conduction, and a speech-reception threshold and word recognition. These tests are quick and easy, only requiring you to indicate whether you can hear the sounds and repeat words that are loud enough for you to hear.

The results of your initial tests give your audiologist information about your basic hearing. That may be all the information they need unless they require additional specialized hearing tests to narrow down the problem.

If you notice changes in your hearing or you need a baseline hearing evaluation, call Sharp Hearing Care Professionals or request an appointment online.