A hearing test tells you more than just a yes or no to hearing. It can reveal a lot of information to a specialist after they have plotted your results on an audiogram.
What the Audiogram Shows
The Audiogram. This graph shows how your hearing is at different volumes for different pitches. Not only can it reveal if you have a hearing loss but also at what frequency it occurs. If for example you have difficulty hearing high pitched sounds then you would expect to see a drop in hearing at frequencies above 8000Hz.
Conductive or Sensorineural
The most important thing for an audiologist to identify is the cause of a person’s hearing loss. The NHS overview of the types and causes of hearing loss is a good place to start to find out more about the different types and how they can be treated. Conductive hearing loss is caused by problems with the sound conducted from the outer ear through the ear canal to the eardrum and the middle ear. This can be due to a number of different reasons including a blockage in the ear canal, damage to the middle ear or certain conditions that affect the way sound is conducted. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by problems with the inner ear or the auditory nerve and is often permanent.
What It Means Day to Day
A Sensorineural Loss shows up first in the high frequency sounds. These are the sounds that correspond to the consonants (s, f, etc) in our speech and so initially we may only notice that the sounds of speech have become muddled. As the loss gets worse the lower frequency sounds will also become less audible and so the overall volume of sound will decrease. If you are looking for Audiologist Bristol, see //www.imperialhearing.com/audiologist-near-me/bristol.
Whether It Is Likely to Progress
Some types of hearing loss are stable but others can change over time. An audiologist can discuss the implications of your results with you and advise on whether you should return for monitoring at a later date or if action should be taken earlier.
What Your Options Are
Possible Solutions to Hearing Loss. Depending on the amount and type of hearing loss an individual suffers with there are three possible solutions: hearing aids, a referral to an ENT specialist or watch and wait. An audiologist will discuss your results and recommend the best course of action. For audiology services in Bristol, contact Imperial Hearing.
A Review Schedule
Hearing is a fluctuating sense and will change over time, so it is recommended that you have your hearing tested every 1 to 2 years so that any changes can be picked up and dealt with as soon as possible.
That is what an audiology appointment should leave you with, fully informed of the full range of issues surrounding your hearing loss.