Hearing Diagnostics & Tests

Don’t wonder if you have hearing loss; find out for sure with a hearing test. Live Better Hearing is ready to help you or your loved one hear better. It all starts with an honest conversation about your hearing and a hearing test.

What To Expect

Hearing loss occurs so gradually you might not notice it. That’s one reason the average person lives with hearing loss for seven years before seeking assistance. Your hearing evaluation appointment will begin with a frank discussion about situations in which you find it difficult to hear. In addition, our hearing health care professionals will review your medical history and go over any medications and supplements you take.

Next, we’ll examine your ears with an instrument called an otoscope. This exam is painless and allows our health professionals to see your ear canal and eardrum.

Feel free to bring a friend or family member along if it will make you feel more comfortable.

Types of Hearing Tests

Live Better Hearing uses the latest technology and techniques to expertly diagnose your hearing loss. These tests may include:

Otoacoustic Emission Testing

This test is used to assess hair cell function. A small instrument is placed in the ear and produces sounds. The sounds returned to the instrument are then measured.

Tympanometry

To hear properly, the tympanic membrane (eardrum) must function properly. Tympanometry creates variations in air pressure and evaluates how the eardrum responds to the changes.

Audiometric Testing

Audiometry identifies the lowest level at which you can hear a tone 50% of the time. Each ear is assessed separately, and the results are recorded on an audiogram for a visual representation of your hearing ability.

Speech Testing

Speech testing focuses on assessing your ability to hear and understand language. Speech comprehension is tested with a variety of background noise to simulate real-life situations.

Pure-Tone And Bone Conduction Testing

Pure-tone air and bone conduction testing check your ability to hear different tones at different pitches. Each ear is tested individually. During bone conduction testing, instead of transmitting tones through the air, a bone oscillator will be held behind the ear and transmit the tones through the bone.

Evaluations For Auditory Processing Disorder

Sometimes problems with hearing don’t originate in the ear. If the brain doesn’t process signals from the ears correctly, you may have an auditory processing disorder. The hearing health care professionals at Live Better Hearing administer tests to assess the auditory system’s physiologic responses to sound.

Industrial Hearing Screening

The federal government regulates hearing safety in the workplace. If your job requires regular hearing assessments, schedule your appointment with Live Better Hearing. We will keep you in compliance.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

This computerized test evaluates how well sounds travel along the hearing nerve pathways from the ear to the brainstem.

Newborn/Infant Hearing Testing

Newborn screening promptly identifies potential hearing loss, allowing for early intervention coordination by doctors and parents, crucial for a child’s communication and language development. Roughly 1 in 150 babies will require further testing with an experienced audiologist if they fail the initial screening. Consult your baby’s pediatrician about scheduling a non-invasive test with Live Better Hearing + Balance, ideally conducted while the baby sleeps in the mother’s arms, as soon as possible if the initial screening is unsuccessful.

Pediatric Hearing Testing

Hearing tests for children vary based on age and developmental stage. Toddlers may undergo play audiometry, turning the test into a game where they drop a block into a bucket each time they hear a sound, relying on their cooperation, though it may not always be feasible. Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) trains children aged 6 months to 2 years to look towards a sound source for rewards. Older children typically raise their hand upon hearing faint beeping sounds through headphones.

Interpreting The Results

At the conclusion of your hearing tests, the hearing health care professional from Live Better Hearing will review the results. If your type of hearing loss can be improved with the use of hearing aids or other assistive hearing technology, your options are discussed, and recommendations will be made.