When you arrive for your consultation and hearing exam, you will be greeted by our friendly front office staff. There are several forms you will need to fill out including those that record your personal information, medical history and insurance verification.
During your hearing exam, we talk about the situations or environments that are most problematic for your hearing. We’ll also review important personal information.
Using an otoscope, we look into your ears to get a visual sense of the condition of your ear canal and eardrum. In addition, we may perform one of the tests below.
A HEARING SCREENING WILL ENABLE US TO DETERMINE:
1. What type (and severity) of hearing loss you are experiencing, and if it affects one or both ears
2. Whether a hearing aid is an appropriate solution for your particular hearing loss
3. The best treatment options
Types of Hearing Tests
AUDIOMETRIC TEST
This test helps us determine what percentage of hearing loss you are experiencing, your ability to understand speech, and to see if hearing aids would be beneficial to you. This test uses a series of high and low frequency tones at a distance to mimic the tones of conversation. We’ll also have you repeat certain words.
TYMPANOMETRY
Tympanometry is a hearing test that creates variations of air pressure in the ear canal to check the condition of the middle ear, the mobility of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and the conduction bones. This helps us determine if you have tears in your tympanic membrane or an ear infection in your middle ear.
OAES
Acoustically evoked otoacoustic emission testing (OAEs) allows the hearing instrument provider to understand how the outer hair cells of your inner ear transmit sound to your ear. During OAE testing, your specialist will listen for soft sounds being amplified in your middle ear to assess the damage of your inner ear.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEARING TEST RESULTS
After your hearing tests are complete, we will review the results with you. Results are recorded on a form called an audiogram, and the audiogram paints a full picture of your current hearing and hearing loss. We will explain to you the type of hearing loss you are experiencing and why it might have happened (although sometimes we will never know). Then we will share with you the specifics of your test. You will find out the specific patterns and degrees of hearing loss you are experiencing in terms of frequencies and decibels (dB). We will also talk about what percentage of conversation you are still able to hear. But rather than just ramble off a bunch of numbers, we talk to you about what that means in everyday situations. We relate these results to your lifestyle and the areas you struggle with.
We want you to experience better hearing regardless of what your test results say, and we want you to make a comfortable, well-informed decision regarding treatment. We will answer all of your questions, make suggestions when asked, and will take our time; you will not be rushed.
A proper hearing aid fitting will ensure a successful transition to wearing new hearing aids. When custom fitted to your ear and preferences, hearing aids are extremely successful and work very well.
If you notice feedback, interference, they slip out of place, or if there are other signs that they are not working properly, please bring them in to our office so our professional teams can check the devices.
Your Ears need sound, and we need to make sound in order to have a society. But hearing protection needs to be an important part of working or playing in noisy environments.
If you think you have tinnitus, we need to take a thorough health history and perform an audiometric test. This will determine if you have tinnitus, the likely cause, and best treatment.
We have been diligently serving Yuba City, California, helping our community recover from hearing loss. Through our information-based personal service, we are helping those in our community who are suffering from reduced hearing. Our sophisticated technology coupled with personalized service has allowed folks to reconnect with family and friends. We’re helping people just like you get back to the people and activities you love.
