Does Tinnitus Affect A Hearing Test?

If you haven’t heard of tinnitus before you have most certainly heard of that ringing in the ears feeling. Tinnitus can be many different kinds of sounds, some people report as chirping or whooshing, and others say it sounds like ringing or hissing. Tinnitus is a symptom of damage or dysfunction inside the hearing system and experts don’t actually know what causes us to hear sound that isn’t that.

The suspicion lies in that the auditory system reacts to damage by trying to compensate for missing signals. It all comes down to the way in which our brains perceive noise. When your ears interpret sound, the auditory systems and signals to the brain so you are not listening to the raw noise. Instead, your brain processes the sound waves before simulating it.

The main issue is that if the audiogram tests your ability to hear pure tones and nothing else, you could still pass a hearing test even if your hair is poor. Those who deal with tinnitus often seek out the help of an audiologist to help them to get away from the constant ringing. When it comes to hearing, being able to detect the sound is just part of the story. Detecting sounds is not where it ends – being able to process and make sense of it is so important. When you hear noise that isn’t there, you can still pass your hearing test – but that doesn’t help you with your hearing.

What to Expect During a Hearing Test

If you’re living with any type of hearing loss, tinnitus or any other auditory issue, an audiologist will start with a hearing test. It doesn’t take very long, it’s not uncomfortable and it doesn’t cost very much – it is a straightforward way to test your hearing and provide your audiologist with information about your auditory health.

Before your hearing test, you will have a history taken to understand how you interact with loud noise every day. Your audiologist will also make a note of it if you are dealing with tinnitus on a daily basis. They will then conduct a physical examination of your ears to check for blockages or wax. This is done with a video otoscope to see the eardrum and look for issues like infection.

Once the appointment is finished, you will have a better understanding of your hearing health and that should give you some hope about drowning out the sound of the ringing that you are dealing with every day. Pure-tone testing charts your hearing level of different tone frequencies in both ears – but it’s not going to pick up the ringing you hear with tinnitus. Some people who deal with tinnitus don’t have hearing loss, this means that there are other causes in addition to being a symptom of hearing loss.

Hearing Tests and Tinnitus

The tinnitus that you are dealing with can affect your hearing test by making it harder for you to hear certain words and pictures that are associated with the test. The test will not pick up the ringing you are hearing, but your audiologist is trained to administer a test to you should you have tinnitus. The key is to let them know that you have it before you start.

There are some questions that you should consider preparing for before you go for your hearing test with your audiologist. These include:

• When did the tinnitus start?
• Was your hearing affected?
• Is the ringing loud or soft?
• Does the time of day affect the noise you hear?
• How does it vary and when?
• Does it get worse in some situations?
• Does it worsen after being in a noisy environment?
• Is it in both ears?

These questions are fairly straightforward so prepare yourself to answer these before you go. Before you arrive, make sure that you have a good quality sleep because if you don’t your tinnitus will be more obvious. You should also make sure that you abstain from alcohol, cigarettes or coffee as these can negatively contribute to hearing loss.

Dealing with tinnitus does not mean you’re dealing with hearing loss, but the only way to know for sure is to get your hearing assessed by an audiologist. They will be able to help you to identify potential hearing loss, but it also gives you a solution that treats the hearing loss as well as the tinnitus. You can contact the Hearing Wellness Center on this phone number: (844) 663-9433 today for an appointment.