What Happens During a Hearing Test?

If you've never had a hearing test before, it's natural to wonder what's involved. The good news is that hearing tests are painless, non-invasive, and straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide to what you can expect.

Step 1: Consultation

Your appointment will begin with a conversation about your hearing. The audiologist will ask about your hearing concerns, when you first noticed difficulties, your medical history, any medications you take, and whether you have a family history of hearing loss. This information helps them tailor the assessment to your needs.

Step 2: Otoscopy

The audiologist will use an otoscope — a small handheld instrument with a light — to look inside your ear canals. They're checking for ear wax, infection, or any visible abnormalities. If significant wax is present, the audiologist may recommend having it removed before proceeding with the hearing test.

Step 3: Pure-tone audiometry

This is the core of the hearing test. You'll sit in a quiet room or soundproof booth and wear headphones. A series of tones at different pitches (frequencies) and volumes (intensities) will be played, and you'll be asked to press a button or raise your hand each time you hear a sound — even if it's very faint. The audiologist tests each ear separately.

Step 4: Additional tests

Depending on your results and symptoms, the audiologist may carry out additional tests such as:

• Speech audiometry — testing how well you understand spoken words at different volumes
• Tympanometry — measuring how your eardrum responds to changes in air pressure
• Bone conduction testing — assessing whether hearing loss is conductive or sensorineural

Step 5: Results and discussion

After the test, the audiologist will explain your results using an audiogram — a chart showing your hearing ability across different frequencies. They'll discuss whether your hearing is within normal range or whether any degree of hearing loss has been detected, and advise on the most appropriate next steps.