By Dr. Mary Kate Donegan, Au.D., CCC-A
Short on time? You’re not alone.
Many people delay scheduling a hearing test because they’re worried it will take too long. But here’s the good news: a comprehensive hearing exam typically takes just 45 to 60 minutes—about the same amount of time as a teeth cleaning!
Let’s walk through what happens during a hearing test and why every part of it matters.
1. Health & Hearing History (5–10 Minutes)
Your appointment begins with a short conversation about your medical background, hearing concerns, and daily lifestyle. We will also ask about current ear and hearing related symptoms including pain or ringing in the ears.
Why it matters: This step helps your hearing specialist understand what might be affecting your hearing and how to tailor the evaluation to your specific needs.
2. Otoscopic Exam (1–2 Minutes)
Your provider will gently examine your ears using a lighted tool called an otoscope to check for wax buildup, infection, or other issues.
Why it matters: Sometimes, hearing loss can be caused by something as simple as earwax. This check ensures your ears are clear and ready for testing.
3. Pure-Tone Testing (10–15 Minutes)
You will be in our sound booth- which is a very quiet room- and the provider will put headphones on your ears. You will hear beeps, tones, and sounds through the headphones and will be asked to respond when you hear the sounds.
Why it matters: This test shows the softest sounds you can hear at different frequencies and helps create a visual graph of your hearing, called an audiogram.
4. Speech Testing (5-10 Minutes)
You’ll listen to and repeat words or sentences, sometimes with background noise.
Why it matters: Understanding speech—especially in noisy environments—is often more challenging than hearing tones. This part of the test shows how well you can follow conversations in real life and gives the providers a good idea of how well you would do with hearing aids. The better our speech understanding score, the more likely we are to do well with hearing aids.
5. Results Review & Next Steps (10–15 Minutes)
After testing, your hearing specialist provider will explain your results in easy-to-understand language and talk through any recommendations, such as yearly checkups, hearing protection, or hearing aids. They can also address your specific reports of hearing difficulty and why you are experiencing this.
Why it matters: You’ll leave your appointment with a clear understanding of your hearing health and a personalized plan, if needed.
Is It Worth the Hour? Absolutely.
In just under an hour, you’ll get insights that can improve your communication, safety, and quality of life. If there is a hearing issue, early detection leads to better outcomes and more options.
Ready to take the next step?