Why have a hearing test?
One of the unusual things about hearing loss is that it’s often not the person with the actual problem who spots it first. This is because the onset is gradual; no one wakes up one morning and feels they suddenly can’t hear, it just slowly creeps up on people. In the vast majority of cases, a good friend or close family member realises something is ‘up’, long before the hearing loss sufferer notices it.
Sometimes having ‘that conversation’ is a bit tricky. People suffering from hearing loss can experience denial – and it’s totally understandable. Their perception can be that people are mumbling or talking too quietly and in the case of TV many people suffering from hearing loss believe TVs no longer have good quality sound! (Audio on modern TVs is actually clearer than it has ever been.)
Specialists around the world agree that it is a bad idea to delay taking action if a hearing loss is suspected. The longer a hearing loss goes untreated the harder it can be to put right as the brain slowly loses its ability to process sound, this loss of sound processing is caused by auditory deprivation (loss of stimulus) which only gets worse over time.
Resent research has also established a link between dementia and hearing loss. *Studies have established that compared with volunteers with normal hearing, those with mild, moderate, and severe hearing loss had twofold, threefold and fivefold, respectively, the increased risk of developing dementia over time. The more hearing loss they had the higher the likelihood of developing the memory-robbing disease.
That is why you should address the matter urgently, the earlier you seek help with your hearing, the higher the chances of success.
*Dr. Frank Lin, MD PhD and his colleagues used data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (BLSA)
Our Hearing Tests
Hummingbird’s hearing tests are carried out by fully qualified and experienced audiologists with state of the art equipment. The test is free and simple to do. If a hearing loss is established our Audiologist will recommend the most appropriate course of action. If the results show normal hearing you get peace of mind.
Otoscopy
This involves an inspection of the ear canal and ear drum using an otoscope to establish whether they are healthy and that the canal is free from any blockage that could be causing a temporary hearing loss.
Your Audiologist will, if required, use a tiny camera to check your ears safely and comfortably, and if you’d like you get to see exactly what’s happening onscreen. This simple, helpful test is just one of the many ways we use innovative hearing technology to make improving your hearing health easier.
Audiometry
Next, we will use our state-of-the-art testing equipment, to measure the sensitivity of your hearing across different pitches and record these readings on an audiogram. We will also conduct a test which looks at your ability to understand speech in both quiet and noisy situations, so we can understand your hearing ability in a real-word situation.
What is an audiogram?
An audiogram is a graph which is used to record the results of a hearing test. It shows how loud sounds have to be in order to be heard.This loudness is known as your hearing threshold and the louder the sound has to be the greater the hearing loss.
What to expect after a hearing test?
Your audiologist will talk through your results and discuss the degree of your hearing loss, as well as offer recommendations as to the best course of action. If you do need hearing aids, we’ll give you a demo and a free trial so you can experience better hearing in the environments that matter to you. There are many different styles and levels of sophistication; you will be given a choice and the differences explained, so you can choose the best type for your needs.
If you are concerned about the way they look the latest aids can be invisible. If you are concerned regarding ease of use most modern instruments are fully automatic – you just fit and forget and enjoy the pleasure and confidence of hearing clearly.
