Brant Audiology & Tinnitus has audiologists providing hearing tests in Wyoming.

Hearing tests are important to check how well you hear and to understand your hearing health. Picking the right audiologist is key to getting a good test and the right treatment.

Audiologists at Brant Audiology & Tinnitus give complete check-ups that fit your needs.

Our expert Wyoming audiologists use the best practices and the newest technology to get accurate results.

Why Would I Need a Hearing Test?

Regular hearing tests are important for keeping your ears healthy and finding any problems early. Audiologists suggest getting these tests regularly for a few reasons:

First, hearing tests check how well you hear now and see if anything has changed over time. Even if you think your hearing is fine, small changes can happen slowly, and you might not notice them without a test.

Second, audiologists perform many hearing tests to check all parts of your hearing.

Brant Audiology offers the following hearing tests:

Pure tone testing to see how well you hear different sounds
Speech testing to see how well you understand words in noisy places
Audiograms to show your hearing levels on a graph
Middle ear tests to check how your middle ear is working
Otoacoustic emissions tests to check the health of your inner ear (cochlea)

These tests give a complete picture of your hearing health and help find any problems early. Finding hearing issues early means they can be treated quickly, which can make a big difference in your quality of life.

What are the types of hearing tests?

Hearing tests can detect hearing loss and check how well your ear is working. Audiologists use several tests together to get a full picture of your hearing abilities.

These tests are key to finding hearing problems and creating the best treatment plans to keep your ears healthy.

Pure Tone Test

Pure tone audiometry is a test that checks how well you hear different sounds. During the test, you wear headphones and listen to beeps or tones at different pitches (high and low sounds) and volumes (loud and soft sounds). You tell the person giving the test when you hear a sound. This helps them figure out if you have trouble hearing certain sounds, which can show if you have hearing loss.

Speech Testing

Speech testing is a hearing test that checks how well you understand words and sentences. During the test, you listen to someone say words or sentences through headphones or speakers. Then, you repeat what you heard. This helps the person giving the test see how well you can hear and understand speech, especially in places with background noise. It shows if you have trouble hearing and understanding people when they talk.

Audiogram

An audiogram is a chart that shows the results of your hearing test. It looks like a graph and helps to see how well you can hear different sounds. During the test, you listen to beeps or tones at different pitches (high and low sounds) and volumes (loud and soft sounds). The results are marked on the audiogram, showing which sounds you can hear well and which ones you can’t. This helps the audiologist understand your hearing ability and if you have any hearing loss.

Tests of Middle Ear Function

Tests of middle ear function check how well your middle ear is working. The middle ear includes the eardrum and tiny bones that help you hear. One common test is called tympanometry. During this test, a small device is placed in your ear to change the air pressure and see how your eardrum moves. This helps find problems like fluid behind the eardrum, an ear infection, or a hole in the eardrum. These tests are important to make sure all parts of your ear are working correctly.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) testing checks how well your inner ear (cochlea) works. During this test, a small earplug is placed in your ear. This earplug makes quiet sounds and has a tiny microphone that listens for the sounds your ear makes in response. If your inner ear is healthy, it will produce sounds back, called emissions. If there are no emissions, it might mean there is a problem with your inner ear. This test helps find hearing loss, especially in babies and young children who can’t tell us about their hearing.

Bone Conduction Testing

Bone conduction testing is a hearing test that checks how well your inner ear works by sending sounds directly to it. Instead of using headphones, a small device called a bone oscillator is placed behind your ear on the bone. This device sends vibrations through the bone to your inner ear.

This test helps to find out if hearing loss is caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, or if it’s due to issues in the inner ear.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Testing

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing checks how well your hearing nerve and brain work together to hear sounds. During this test, small stickers called electrodes are placed on your head and ears. You wear headphones, and you hear clicking sounds or tones. The electrodes measure how your brain responds to these sounds.

This test is important for finding hearing problems in babies, young children, and people who can’t easily tell us about their hearing. It helps doctors understand if there are issues with the hearing nerve or brain pathways that process sound.

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) Testing

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) testing checks how well your brain processes the sounds you hear. Even if your ears are fine, your brain might have trouble understanding sounds. During CAPD testing, you listen to different sounds, words, or sentences and follow instructions.

These tests can include listening to speech with background noise, different pitches, or rapid speech. The audiologist sees how well you can understand and make sense of these sounds. This test helps find out if you have CAPD, which can make it hard to follow conversations, especially in noisy places.

Vestibular Function Testing

Vestibular function testing checks how well your inner ear and balance system are working. These tests help find out why you might feel dizzy or have balance problems. One common test is the Videonystagmography (VNG), where you wear special goggles that record your eye movements while you follow moving lights or change head positions.

Another test is the Caloric test, where warm or cool water or air is put in your ears to see how your eyes and balance system react. These tests help doctors understand if there are issues with your inner ear that might be causing dizziness or balance problems.

Three main types of hearing loss

Hearing loss can be classified into three main types: sensorineural, conductive, and mixed. Each type of hearing loss affects different parts of the auditory system and has distinct causes and characteristics.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is a type of hearing loss that happens when there is a problem with the inner ear or the hearing nerve. This type of hearing loss can be caused by aging, exposure to loud noises, certain medications, or illnesses.

People with sensorineural hearing loss might have trouble hearing soft sounds and understanding speech, even if sounds seem loud enough. This kind of hearing loss is usually permanent, but hearing aids or cochlear implants can help improve hearing and communication.

It’s important to get your hearing checked regularly so any hearing loss can be found and managed early.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss happens when sound can’t reach the inner ear because something is blocking it or there’s a problem in the outer or middle ear. Some common causes include earwax buildup, ear infections, a hole in the eardrum, fluid behind the eardrum, or problems with the tiny bones in the middle ear.

Unlike sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss is often temporary and can usually be treated with medicine or surgery. People with conductive hearing loss might find sounds quieter and less clear, but they can generally still understand speech well in quiet places.

Treatments might include ear wax removal, taking medicine for infections, or having surgery to fix problems in the middle ear. In some cases a hearing aid may also be recommended.

Mixed Hearing Loss

Mixed hearing loss is when someone has both sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss at the same time. This means there is a problem in both the inner ear and the outer or middle ear. For example, a person with sensorineural hearing loss might also get an ear infection, which causes conductive hearing loss.

Mixed hearing loss makes it hard to hear because it combines the problems of both types of hearing loss. Sounds may be both unclear and not loud enough.

To help with mixed hearing loss, doctors might use a mix of treatments like medicine or surgery for the conductive part and hearing aids for the sensorineural part.

It’s important to know the difference between sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss to get the right treatment. Wyoming audiologists at Brant Audiology & Tinnitus can check your hearing and figure out what kind of hearing loss you have. We will help you find the best way to manage it and improve your hearing.

Hearing Test: What To Expect

During a hearing test, a trained audiologist will check how well you hear. The test usually starts with the audiologist asking about your medical history and any hearing problems you have noticed.

Next, you will do different tests such as:

Pure tone testing: You listen to beeps and tell the audiologist when you hear them. This checks how well you hear different sounds.
Speech testing: You listen to words and repeat them. This checks how well you understand speech.
Tympanometry: This test checks how well your middle ear works.
Otoacoustic emissions testing: This checks how well your inner ear works.

The audiologist will explain each test and answer any questions you have. After the tests, they will talk about the results and work with you to create an appropriate treatments plan to help with your hearing.

Hearing Test Results

After a hearing test, the audiologist will look at the results to see how well you hear and understand your ear health.

The audiogram and other test results help the audiologist find out if you have hearing loss and what kind it is. They will explain what the results mean, how serious your hearing loss is, and how it might affect your everyday life.

Depending on the hearing test results, the next steps could be more tests, medical treatments for things like ear infections or ear wax buildup, or suggestions for hearing aids and other devices to help you hear better.

Wyoming audiologists at Brand Audiology & Tinnitus will make a treatment plan just for you, based on your needs and what you prefer, to help you get the best hearing possible.

Hearing Test FAQs

Can I test my hearing?

Yes, you can check your hearing in different ways, like using online hearing tests or smartphone apps. These tests can help you see if you might have hearing problems. However, these tests might not be as accurate as the tests done by a professional audiologist.

For the best check-up of your hearing health, it’s a good idea to visit a licensed audiologist. Brant Audiology & Tinnitus has audiologists in Wyoming who can give you a full hearing test, explain the results, and work with you to create the best treatment options for you and your lifestyle. This way, you get a clear and accurate understanding of your hearing and what to do next.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for a hearing test?

To get ready for a hearing test, here are some easy steps you can follow:

1. Write down any questions or worries you have about your hearing. Also, note any problems you’ve noticed, like trouble understanding people or ringing in your ears.

2. Bring any important medical papers with you, like past hearing test results or a list of medicines you take that might affect your hearing.

3. Be prepared to talk about your medical history. This includes any ear infections, injuries, or times you’ve been around loud noises.

4. Arrive on time for your appointment. Make sure you are well-rested and relaxed so the test results will be accurate. Complete any paperwork you were sent prior to your appointment.

6. If you use hearing aids, bring them with you. The audiologist might need to check them or adjust their settings during the test.

By doing these simple things, you can help make your hearing test go smoothly. This will help the audiologist check your hearing well and give you the right advice or treatment.

Are there any risks to hearing tests?

Hearing tests are very safe and don’t usually have any risks. Most tests just check how well you can hear different sounds. Sometimes, the tests might feel a little strange, like when they put a device in your ear or change the air pressure, but they don’t hurt.

In some tests, loud sounds are played, but they are usually not too loud to hurt your ears. The people giving the test make sure everything is safe and comfortable for you.

Overall, hearing tests are a simple and important way to check your hearing health without any real risks.

How reliable are online hearing tests?

Online hearing tests can provide a preliminary indication of your hearing sensitivity and may raise awareness about potential hearing issues. However, their reliability varies, and they cannot replace a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a licensed audiologist.

Factors influencing reliability include the quality of the test, the accuracy of the equipment used (such as headphones or speakers), and the environment in which the test is conducted. Online tests may not account for individual factors such as background noise, calibration of equipment, or variations in sound delivery.

Furthermore, online tests typically assess only basic aspects of hearing, such as sensitivity to certain frequencies, and may not detect other important aspects of hearing health, such as speech understanding in noise or middle ear function.

While online tests can be a useful initial screening tool, they should not be relied upon as a definitive assessment of hearing health. If you have concerns about your hearing, it’s best to schedule an appointment with a qualified audiologist for a thorough evaluation and personalized recommendations.

Can you do a hearing test on your phone?

Yes, there are smartphone applications available that claim to conduct hearing tests. These apps typically use tones or speech stimuli presented through the phone’s speakers or headphones to assess hearing sensitivity. Users respond to the stimuli by tapping on the screen or indicating when they hear the sound.

While smartphone hearing test apps may provide a convenient way to assess hearing sensitivity, they have limitations. Factors such as the quality of the phone’s speakers or headphones, ambient noise levels, and variations in device calibration can affect the accuracy of the test results. Additionally, these apps may not assess all aspects of hearing health, such as speech understanding in noise or middle ear function.

It’s important to recognize that smartphone hearing tests are not a substitute for a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a qualified audiologist. If you have concerns about your hearing, it’s best to seek professional advice and undergo a thorough assessment to ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.