The Process of Hearing Tests, and Why They’re Important
Hearing tests are very important for people who feel as if they might be suffering from hearing loss. According to Miracle-Ear, hearing loss is one of today’s most common healthcare concerns, affecting an estimated 28 million Americans. When a patient comes to a Miracle-Ear hearing center in Banning, CA, or in any city, for that matter, for a hearing test, they will meet with a hearing consultant who is devoted to learning as much as possible about the patient’s hearing loss. The appointment is typically a 60 to 90 minute appointment and the patient will undergo series of tests and examinations, including sharing their medical history with the hearing consultant. Sometimes, issues are present that cannot be resolved with hearing aids, and the hearing consultant will refer the patient to a medical professional to resolve those issues. The consultant will also test the patient with speech and tone tests to determine their level of hearing loss.
It’s also necessary for a companion to accompany the patient to their initial hearing test; typically the companion should be the patient’s primary communication partner on a regular basis, someone who lives with their hearing loss and experienced it every day. The hearing consultant asks that the companion is involved with the whole testing process – they are there to help verify the patient’s hearing loss.
After it is determined that the patient needs hearing aids, they should come back to the hearing center to have them cleaned and adjusted once a week for the next four weeks. This is so the consultant can make sure there isn’t any wax build up or excess moisture in the hearing aid, so the patient is receiving maximum benefit from their hearing aids. After the four week period is up, the patient should still come to their hearing center every three to six months for professional cleanings and adjustments, as well as take some time at home to clean their hearing aids, too.
It is also recommended that patients continue to get hearing tests, at least once a year, even if they already have hearing aids. This is so the hearing consultants at Miracle-Ear can continue to evaluate and help maintain the patient’s hearing loss to make sure it is not getting worse, and if it is, they can adjust their hearing aids to the level necessary so the patient can continue to hear.