Hearing Test
Why have a hearing test?Hearing Loss: A Serious Health Issue
Hearing loss is a mainstream health issue that affects millions of Australians. In fact, over 3.55 million Australians suffer from hearing loss, with nearly half of them aged between 16-64 years.
Hearing Loss Impacts Overall Health
Hearing loss is not just a problem with your ears. It can also impact your overall health in a number of ways, including:
- Balance problems and falls: Hearing loss can make it difficult to hear warning signs, such as the sound of traffic or someone approaching from behind. This can increase your risk of falls and other injuries.
- Social isolation and loneliness: Hearing loss can make it difficult to communicate with others. This can lead to social isolation, loneliness, and depression.
- Cardiovascular disease: Studies have shown that people with hearing loss are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
- Diabetes: Hearing loss is also associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes.
- Cognitive decline: Research has shown a strong association between cognitive decline and hearing loss. There are many factors that contribute to this, however hearing loss often causes reduced stimulation to an individual’s brain from less sound being received by their hearing system, and/or less social activity being experienced.
When and why should I arrange a hearing test?
When to book a hearing test is an easy question to answer – as soon as you can, especially if you notice the early signs. Why should you arrange one? The best way to protect your hearing and overall health is to get a hearing test annually. A hearing test can help you identify any problems early on, so that you can prevent further damage, avoid any associated health issues and maximise the benefit of any treatment should it be required. An annual hearing test provides many advantages:
- Baseline information: Having an early and annual hearing test means your audiologist has a detailed picture of your hearing ability and can respond accordingly to any changes in your hearing needs.
- Early Detection of hearing loss: As hearing loss often develops gradually, its progression can go unnoticed. By regularly getting a hearing test, you can catch any changes in your hearing early on, allowing for prompt intervention and appropriate treatment.
- Comprehensive understanding of one the most important senses: A hearing test provides a comprehensive evaluation of your hearing abilities. It assesses not only your ability to hear different frequencies but also the clarity of speech and your overall auditory function. This thorough assessment helps identify the type and degree of hearing loss you may be experiencing.
- Understanding the Impact of Hearing Loss: A hearing test helps you understand how hearing loss may be affecting your daily life. It can reveal the specific areas in which your hearing is compromised, such as difficulty understanding conversations in noisy environments or experiencing muffled sounds. This understanding is crucial for addressing the impact of hearing loss on your overall well-being.
- Tailored Treatment Plan: Following a hearing test, a audiologist can develop a personalised treatment plan based on your specific hearing needs. This may involve recommendations for hearing aids, assistive listening devices, or other interventions to improve your hearing and quality of life.
- Prevention and Education: Even if your hearing test indicates normal hearing, it’s valuable to receive guidance on protecting your hearing and minimising the risk of future hearing loss. Hearing care professionals can provide education on hearing conservation strategies and lifestyle adjustments to promote long-term auditory health.
- Overall Health Assessment: A hearing test can also uncover underlying health conditions that may be contributing to hearing loss, such as ear infections, blockages, or certain medical conditions. Detecting these issues early on allows for appropriate medical intervention and management.
Don’t Ignore the Signs of Hearing Loss – what to look out for
If you think you may have hearing loss, don’t ignore the signs:
- Frequently asking others to repeat themselves: You may frequently ask others to repeat what they said or find yourself saying “What?” or “Huh?” during conversations, or you might find yourself mishearing what is said.
- Increasing the volume: You might find yourself consistently increasing the volume on the television, radio, or in your car in order to hear well. Others also may also tell you you’re listening too loud.
- Social situations are exhausting: You may find you are you need to constantly concentrate at social events which can be mentally exhausting. You may find yourself feeling tired or drained after engaging in conversations, and you might start to prefer staying at home.
- Difficulty hearing in noisy environments: Background noise can make it particularly challenging to hear conversations or distinguish between different sounds.
- Struggling to hear high-pitched sounds: You may have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds like birds chirping, doorbells, car indicator or ringing phones.
- Trouble following conversations on the phone: Understanding phone conversations may become more challenging, as you may have difficulty hearing the person on the other end clearly.
Tinnitus: Tinnitus refers to the perception of ringing, buzzing, or other noises in the ears. While not always directly related to hearing loss, it can be a symptom of an underlying hearing issue. Remember, arranging a hearing test does not necessarily mean you have hearing loss. It is a proactive step towards maintaining your hearing health and addressing any concerns that may arise.
Book an appointment with Dr Annemarie at her Balmain clinic today. Early diagnosis and treatment can help you hear better, stay healthier, and live a more fulfilling life.
What happens at your hearing test appointment?
At Hearlix’s Balmain hearing clinic, we understand that hearing loss can impact your overall health and well-being. That’s why we offer comprehensive hearing tests that are gentle, accurate, and state-of-the-art.
Hearing test tip: We always recommend you bring along your spouse, a family member or close friend – someone you often speak with, because hearing loss can impact them as well!
The Hearlix Hearing Test
Hearlix is dedicated to delivering exceptional hearing healthcare, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of your unique needs and providing the most appropriate solutions for you and your loved ones.
Our hearing test includes the following steps:
1. Discussion: In this initial step, we engage in a discussion to address your hearing concerns and those of your accompanying person. We delve into your lifestyle, priorities, and expectations for improvement, while thoroughly documenting any previous ear issues, reviewing relevant medical and family history, and exploring tinnitus and/or balance issues.
By working together, we develop a detailed understanding of your overall hearing health, enabling us to provide tailored advice and treatment options.
2. Ear Canal Inspection: Using state-of-the-art microscope and video equipment we’ll inspect your ear canals. If there is any presence of wax that may be affecting your hearing, we will safely remove it.
Microscope observation and wax removal are services not routinely offered by hearing professionals and can save an extra trip to your GP.
3. Middle Ear Examination: We examine your middle ear to ensure proper functioning of your ear drum and investigate the possibility of fluid build-up, which can significantly impact your hearing ability.
4. Pure Tone Audiometry: We’ll use pure tone audiometry to measure the tones you can hear across a range of different frequencies. This will help us determine the extent of your hearing ability as it determines the softest sounds you are able to hear.
5. Speech Perception Testing: We’ll conduct a “real world” test to assess your ability to hear speech in both quiet and noisy environments. This will help us determine how your hearing loss impacts your everyday life.
6. Results and Recommendations: We’ll provide you with a thorough explanation of your test results and make recommendations for treatment. A full hearing report can be sent to you and/or your doctor on request.
To schedule your hearing test, call us today at our Balmain clinic, or use one of the links below: