Hearing Testing in Carlsbad, CA

Hearing loss can be gradual and difficult to notice until it’s advanced. That’s why you should have your hearing screened once a year. Not only will this help uncover changes in your hearing early, it can also detect early signs of other health issues.

Who Should Get a Hearing Test?

You should get a hearing test if you find yourself:

Straining to hear conversations
Asking family and friends to repeat themselves often
Missing lines in movies or at the theater
Listening to the TV at a level so loud that others complain
Turning the volume up all the way on your phone

What Will a Hearing Test Show?

Hearing tests measure your ability to hear different frequencies at different volumes. They can also measure things like pressure behind the ear to see if there is fluid behind the eardrum. When you’re finished, you’ll get an audiogram, which is a printout of your test results. If it turns out you need hearing aids, the audiogram helps us program your hearing aid to your specific hearing loss, similar to getting a prescription for eyeglasses.

What Happens During a Hearing Test?

Your hearing health is an essential part of your overall well-being. Hearing loss is often linked to other health conditions, so we’ll start your hearing test with a brief health review. We’ll ask questions about situations where you struggle to hear, which helps us identify the type of hearing loss you may have and guide your treatment plan. We’ll also check your ears for earwax buildup or signs of infection. If needed, additional tests may follow.

Types of Hearing Tests

Audiometric Hearing Test

Do you hear sounds but have trouble understanding speech? This test measures how well you hear different tones and words. We’ll say commonly misunderstood words, and you’ll repeat them back. The results, shown as a percentage, help determine whether hearing aids can improve your hearing.

Tympanometry Hearing Test

This test checks your middle ear function by gently changing the ear pressure. A flexible eardrum and normal bone conduction suggest that hearing loss isn’t caused by infection, congestion, or blockages.

Otoacoustic Emission Testing (OAEs)

Unlike tympanometry, which evaluates the middle ear, OAEs test inner ear function. You’ll listen to sounds while the test measures your ear’s response, giving insight into how well your inner ear works.

How to Read Your Hearing Test Results

Your hearing test results will come to you as a chart called an audiogram. Along the left side is the volume as measured in decibels. Along the bottom are frequencies. Laying it out on a chart allows you to see clearly whether you have hearing loss at higher or lower frequencies and how bad it is. (Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through this.) If you can’t hear a sound until it’s at least 30 decibels you have some hearing loss. The louder a sound has to be before you hear it, the more severe your hearing loss is.

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