Taking an At-Home Hearing Test
Finding an audiologist near your house, open at convenient times, and who accepts your insurance can be challenging. But when your hearing is on the line, you need to get your hearing checked and address any potential problems.
For those who lack mobility, insurance, or easy access to a doctor, an online test makes hearing health accessible. Taking a hearing test at home can clue you in on any looming hearing issues you may have.
Signs of hearing loss
Hearing loss happens gradually over time. It’s not always something you think about on a daily basis. It’s easy to ask others to repeat themselves or avoid loud situations, but that is simply ignoring the problem.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the symptoms of hearing loss are muffled sounds, difficulty hearing particular consonants, requesting repetition of words, turning up the volume on electronics, and avoidance of certain social situations and conversations.
Chances are, your friends and family will be the first to notice your hearing loss and nudge you in the direction of treatment.
Why you should test your hearing
There is no downside to testing your hearing. Maybe you are interested in measuring how well you can hear now for future comparison. Or you may be interested in purchasing a pair of hearing aids right away.
A hearing test gives a breakdown of how well each ear hears at different frequencies on what is called an audiogram.
An audiogram can show asymmetrical or symmetrical hearing loss (differing hearing levels per ear), as well as high or low-frequency loss.
Hearing aids are programmed based on the information provided during a hearing test, so if you want to purchase a pair, a hearing test is necessary.
Online hearing tests
Beltone, Miracle-Ear, Phonak, Better Hearing Institute, and Healthy Hearing all offer a variety of options in terms of online hearing tests. Some play tones, others ask questions, but none provide enough information to program a hearing aid.
If you are looking for an online hearing test that is accessible, accurate, and trusted, Audicus provides the best solution.
The Audicus Online Hearing Test requires earbuds to ensure each ear is tested individually and takes 15 minutes on average. Listeners press the spacebar every time they hear a tone played, which results in an extensive outline of hearing loss.
The convenience of Audicus’ online test is that the results can immediately be used to program a low-cost pair of hearing aids. Additionally, the in-house audiology team is available to answer any questions and further personalize new hearing aids.
Why you should treat hearing loss
Without taking a hearing test, you may never realize the extent of your hearing loss, and as a result, never treat underlying issues. Without this knowledge, you risk mounting hearing loss in the future. According to WebMD, hearing loss negatively impacts the quality of life. With hearing tests and hearing aids, you can improve your self-esteem and mental health.
It is far better to test now and address the issue than let it compound into something worse. Have no fear! Take an online hearing test without a trip to the doctor!
In the Denver area and prefer to see someone in person to get tested? Book an appointment at our Lone Tree Clinic here.
By: Diana Michel
Sources: WebMD, Mayo Clinic