What should you expect?

It is recommended that you bring a family member or friend to the appointment with you. It helps to have another supportive person at the appointment to help you understand the information and recommendations.

Your visit will be approximately 30 to 40 minutes in length. This will allow our audiologist time to do the appropriate testing, review the results with you and to make recommendations.

A hearing health history will be taken by our audiologist, paying special attention to any concerns regarding your hearing, ear symptoms, family history of hearing loss, noise exposure, tinnitus and balance problems.

Next the audiologist will test your hearing performing one or more of the following:

Otoscopic inspection – a visual inspection of your ear canal and eardrum

Air and bone conduction testing – testing that measures your ability to hear tones at different levels of volume and pitch

Speech testing – testing that determines how softly you can hear words and how well you can distinguish words at different loudness levels.

Tympanometry – a test that determines the health of your middle ear system

Otoacoustic emissions – testing that measures sounds generated by the inner ear when a stimulus sound is presented

The diagnostic hearing evaluation is a good time to establish a working relationship with your audiologist. Be sure to voice your concerns and to ask questions.