Most individuals hear the buzzword ‘test’ and have flashbacks to pop questions in algebra. But the good news is that if you are among the 40% of adults in Scotland with hearing loss, you don’t need to figure out the x and y variables on your test.
As a matter of fact, the hearing test doesn’t need much work. All you should do is show up, and your audiologist will do the rest.
What a Hearing Test Is
An audiometry test is a non-invasive and painless hearing evaluation, which measures someone’s capability to hear different frequencies, pitches, or sounds.
A patient with a tumor around or in the ear can undergo hearing test in Scotland to determine if there is a hearing loss or monitor the person’s hearing after and before surgery. Plus, the test is often used to determine whether a surgery or hearing aid can improve someone’s hearing.
How the Process Works
Like your teeth and eyes, your ears need regular tests too. In Scotland, one in six individuals suffer from hearing loss, and it is recommended that you use free hearing tests to your own advantage, often carried out by an audiologist with experience to examine your needs for hearing.
How Regularly Should You Have an Auditory Testing?
This mainly depends on your unique situation. For instance, if you work in a noisy environment, having your hearing checked every year will be best.
But if not, you might need an evaluation until you are in your 60s. This is when most individuals start having hearing loss related to age. If you believe you have a hearing problem, consult a healthcare expert about hearing assessments. They will refer to a qualified audiologist for more hearing assessments.
Types
There are different kinds of hearing tests available today. Some of them may include the following:
- Online hearing tests – You may check your hearing in the background noise by wearing headphones.
- Speech discrimination tests – These tests need you to repeat every word said to you. Hearing loss related to age starts with a loss of high frequency, so some words like t, f, and p end up sounding the same.
- Pure tone audiometry – Machines called audiometers produce a range of pure tones. They work by pressing a button when you hear sounds.
Treatments
Although you won’t be able to restore your hearing loss, there are several ways you can make up for that and even protect that hearing you still have. If your audiologist suggests wearing a hearing aid, you can choose from different styles, including OTC options. Some models will be behind your ears, whereas others can go in it.
You might also need devices, which make sounds louder. For instance, some devices can help to make your phone calls even louder, while others are used in a theater or a place of worship so you can hear better.
The Bottom Line
Once your hearing test is done and a professional finds that you have hearing loss, you will be recommended treatment. For many individuals with moderate to mild hearing loss, this may mean using hearing aids. Luckily, hearing aids have recently become more advanced and smaller, enabling you to connect with your smartphones as well as other devices.
