Did you know that just two of our five senses, sight and hearing, give us 95 percent of the information we receive about the world around us? When one of those senses isn’t working properly, this has a big impact on our ability to process and understand what’s happening in our lives.

Not being 100 percent aware of what people are saying has a number of ramifications. From a social point of view it can lead to a range of feelings, such as lack of self-confidence, depression, isolation, or fear of looking stupid. From a more practical point of view not being able to hear the approaching vehicle on the road could place you at greater risk of an accident.

How hearing loss impacts your health

But these examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact of hearing loss on our lives. Studies show us that those people suffering from hearing loss are at an increased risk of dementia, falls, long-term health problems and even heart disease. The links between these conditions and hearing are complex, but there none the less.

Why to get a hearing test

If this is depressing in itself, the good news is that you do have options. A typical hearing test and taking the audiologist’s advice can help diagnose and treat the issues you’re facing. When fit with the right hearing device that meets your lifestyle needs and is carefully tuned to correct your hearing deficit, then you are once more fully in-step with the world and its wonderful cacophony of noises.

A hearing test is performed at the audiologist’s office, under ideal conditions in a soundproof booth. This means there is no stray noise to distract you during the test, which allows the audiologist to get a truly accurate picture of your hearing problems. All the tests are painless and designed to cover the entire sound spectrum.

For example, during the exam the audiologist may run a combination of the following tests:

  • Testing each ear individually (via headphones) to register the lowest sound you can hear at different pitches
  • The same test as above, but in a room. This better mimics real life situations.
  • A test for problems with the middle ear which involves checking how well sound that travels through bone (so-called ‘bone conduction’) is detected by the middle ear
  • Tympanometry, which involves applying pressure to the eardrum using puffs of air. This checks out the ability of the ear to conduct sound and pass it along the hearing mechanism
  • Physical examination of the ear canal using an otoscope. This checks for physical problems, such as wax buildup, which could interfere with hearing.

When it comes to hearing, don’t ignore this important sense. We live in a rick world of sights and sounds, so don’t miss out (and endanger your life) by ‘coping’ with hearing loss. Instead, schedule a hearing test and get the problem corrected.