The Hearing Consultation
Other tests, checks and services we offer
The QuickSIN test: a measure of how well you can hear in noise.
You should allow an hour or so for the appointment. Your hearing healthcare professional will start by asking if you think you have a hearing problem or if it’ s someone else that’ s noticed( a family member’ s opinion of your hearing can be very useful). You’ ll be asked about your general health, your medical history, current / previous employment, interests etc. to establish any risk factors that may have caused a hearing loss.
Your ear canals will be examined with our video otoscope, showing you any anatomical evidence as to why you may have a hearing loss, such as scarring on the ear drum from a previous ear infection.
Your response to the quietest sounds will be recorded with an audiometric test. You will be asked to sit in a sound-proof booth with a set of headphones on and listen to a range of tones of varying volumes. You need to press a button for the duration of each sound that you hear. The audiogram is a visual representation of how well you hear and reveals the degree and type of hearing loss.
There are other testing procedures which may be carried out such as a speech audiometry test, which provides an indication of how well you can understand important speech sounds. There is also Tympanometry, which is an examination used to test the condition of the middle ear, by checking the mobility of the ear drum and bones by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal.
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LACE Auditory Training: A DVD course you can do at home to improve your listening skills.
Client Oriented Scale of Improvement record( COSI): A helpful goal-oriented record of what specific hearing problems you’ d like to fix.
Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life Questionnaire( SADL): A mid-term check that you are still motivated and heading in the right direction.
If you have tinnitus:
The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory test: To help you quantify how you feel about your tinnitus.
Tinnitus Matching tests( Pitch and Loudness): Carried out to measure your tinnitus and assist in fine-tuning your hearing aids.
And if you have potential problems in managing your hearing aids on your own:
Snellen chart: a quick and simple eye test.
Finger sensitivity assessments: to check that you are able to handle the hearing aids.
If your Hearing Care Professional offers these services, then this may indicate more attention to detail on their part.