Silver Back Muzik

Has your audiologist suggested you have a hearing test? Getting one done is really as easy as making a simple phone call. The good news is that it doesn't require any advance studying. It's usually taken in a very friendly atmosphere by cheerful people.

The main purpose of it is to see if you can understand speech when surrounded by such things as background noise. This will tell the audiologist a great deal about exactly what you're able to hear.

During your appointment, your specialist will ask you certain questions about how much or how little you actually hear. A thorough medical history will also be taken.

The actual test and appointment usually lasts anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes. It's important to bring someone along who interacts with you on a regular basis. The audiologist will ask them questions as well about your hearing issues and sometimes they can provide answers you may not be able to.

I know it's difficult to admit you may need a hearing test - for obvious reasons. But, it's really very important, and more so over 55 years of age.

An estimated "28 million people suffer from some form of hearing loss." So, you can see you aren't alone. The causes may be due to such things as increased mechanization and technology, factory noises, music played too loudly and even wars. If you work in an industry where there are loud noises, wearing earplugs could greatly reduce your chances of losing your hearing.

Often, audiology offices will offer a complimentary hearing test. Be sure to ask ahead of time if this is possible.

You may be wondering if this test will hurt. Most likely, no, it will not. Some people have very sensitive ears so be sure to inform the specialist ahead of time if you do so they can make adjustments in their procedures.

The specialist may also ask if you are experiencing any ringing in your ears. This is known as tinnitus. It's not a danger, but can be annoying. It can be caused by ear injury, circulation problems, age-related hearing loss or some unknown condition.

The audiologist may ask you questions like these:

1.How well do you hear in a noisy environment?
2.Are you living with a bunch of mumblers?
3.Is the volume dial turned all the way up on your television or radio?
4.Do you have any problems talking on the telephone?
5.Do you need to ask people to repeat themselves a lot?

If you can answer yes to most of these questions, you probably need a hearing test as soon as possible.

Losing your hearing can be very discouraging, but it shouldn't be thought of as so bad you can't enjoy life. Getting a hearing test will enable your audiologist to determine what can be done to enhance your hearing so you can get back in the game of life once more. After all, isn't that what you'd like to do?