If you believe you may be suffering from hearing loss, it is important to have a hearing assessment as soon as possible. Undiagnosed hearing loss can lead to permanent deafness that will not be treatable with hearing aids or assistive devices, and may impact on your overall health. The first step in establishing hearing loss is a Hearing Assessment.
What to expect
A hearing assessment is painless and easy to arrange. The Hearing Club has trained audiologists who will assess your health, family background and work environment to ascertain how your situation may affect your hearing. After your initial assessment, four checks to test for hearing loss will be conducted.
- Otoscopy – undertaken to check the physical health of your ear canal and eardrum. An otoscope can also reveal blockages such as wax build-up in the ear.
- Tympanometry – an objective measure of the middle ear, which tests the mobility of the tympanic membrane and conduction bones. This is done by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal, and can help distinguish between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
- Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) – used for children from five years and adults, this test identifies hearing threshold levels, and helps determine the extent and type of hearing loss. As PTA uses both air and bone conduction audiometry, it is possible to identify the type of hearing loss via the air-bone gap with this test.
- Speech Test – measures the level of speech loudness required for a patient to hear comfortably, and understand what is being said.
You can read an in depth article on what to expect at your first hearing test here.
What happens if I have hearing loss?
If you discover you do have hearing loss, you are not alone! In 2010, a parliamentary inquiry found that “one in six Australians is affected by hearing loss…With an ageing population [this] is expected to increase to one in four…by 2050.”[1] Hearing loss can have negative impacts on your health and quality of life. This means it is best to act on the results of a Hearing Assessment as quickly as possible, because some types of hearing loss will continue to progress if left untreated, and can result in permanent deafness.
Your audiologist will advise you on the best course of action for your type of hearing loss. Solutions may include rehabilitation, hearing aids or assistive devices, and in some cases, counselling.
We can help
The team at The Hearing Club believes clarity of hearing equals quality of life. We understand that it may take time for some patients to transition to hearing aids or assistive devices, and we will be available to help you every step of the way.
Contact The Hearing Club, your independent audiology clinics in a variety of locations across Central Victoria and the Macedon Ranges, to find out more about hearing loss, or book a hearing assessment today.
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| 1800-627-728
| hello@thehearingclub.com.au