How to get the most from your Hearing Aid Assessment appointment
Whether you are having your hearing tested for the first time or have a known loss and are looking to explore options for new hearing solutions, there are important points to consider from your first appointment.
Finding out about You
To be able to offer the most suitable solutions, it is important to know about you as well as your hearing.
The Audiologist should ask questions about your lifestyle, hobbies and interests, for example
how often you:
- Engage in one-to-one conversations
- Attend places with higher levels of background noise (like restaurants, social gatherings or sporting events)
- Watch TV
- Use the phone
Before attending your hearing assessment, think about recent events. If you have experienced any of the following issues, make a note of what type of situation it was, how many people were there and how far away you were from what you were trying to hear.
- Misunderstanding conversations
- Asking people to repeat what they have said
- Having to concentrate more when people are talking
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy situations
- Watching TV at a higher volume that others may find loud
- Issues hearing on the phone
- Difficulty hearing in the car
As it is common for people with hearing loss to develop coping strategies to compensate (like focusing more intently on facial expressions and gestures), it is often friends and loved ones who are initially aware of a change. You may find it useful to speak with them prior to your appointment and ask if they have noticed you having difficulty hearing in specific scenarios.
Your Hearing Assessment
When you have your hearing tested, the audiogram (a test to assess the quietest sounds you can hear) should be carried out using a Soundproof Booth to ensure the results are not compromised by ambient background noise.
Audiogram results are used to program hearing aids, if the results are inaccurate, it can have an adverse effect on sound quality and volume comfort.
Although audiograms are used to establish hearing levels, severity of hearing loss and identify what part of the ear is affected, they cannot provide any insight into your ability to interpret speech in noisy environments.
To get a better understanding of your speech processing capabilities, make sure your assessment includes a Speech-In-Noise (SIN) test. This will determine how much assistance you need to follow conversations in complex listening environments, what styles of hearing aid would provide the most benefit or if assistive listening devices are required.
Your Results
Once testing is completed, the Audiologist should discuss the findings with you, describing how any results relate to your current symptoms. If a hearing loss has been identified, they should explain what part of the ear is affected and discuss what treatment options are available.
If you have noticed a change in your hearing and would like to book an appointment, please get in touch with your nearest location today.
- Belfast |028 9066 7030
- Ballykelly |028 7707 6050
- Donaghadee |028 9188 4188
- Holywood |028 9085 9900
- Newtownabbey |028 9085 9900