Can You Pass A Hearing Test and Still Have Problems Hearing?

A hearing test is designed to provide a comprehensive answer to whether you have hearing loss and, if you do, what level is that hearing loss at? In most cases, a standard hearing test will work just fine for most individuals.

However, some people notice that they still experience the symptoms of hearing loss, even after they have passed a hearing test and gotten the all clear. Is it possible that they may have hearing loss after all?

The short answer is yes, you can pass a hearing test and still have problems hearing. But how is that possible? Let’s look.

How hearing tests can provide answers that aren’t definitive

The standard hearing test is a reliable manner of finding most types of hearing loss. In many cases, it involves going into a soundproof room or booth. You may put on headphones or find yourself in a space with a speaker. In almost all cases, you wear tones of different volumes and pitches and respond to them. From your responses, the professional carrying out the test will mark down what you can hear and what you can’t.

At the end, they will produce an audiogram that shows your range of hearing and, as a result, whether you have hearing loss or not. However, this can miss some kinds of hearing loss. Professionals who aren’t audiologists may not have the equipment that is necessary to carry out a more comprehensive hearing test.

For instance, some people can hear tones and different pitches fine, but find that they have difficulty hearing speech. A professional who doesn’t carry out a speech test as well as a tone test would not be able to figure that out. Furthermore, a person might have no problem hearing just fine in a soundproof area with silence but may have a lot more trouble hearing sounds in crowded or noisy environments.

An audiologist will be able to provide both a tone test and a speech test. Furthermore, they will be able to emulate a variety of environments, including more crowded and noisy areas, to make sure that your hearing test is as complete as can be.

Not all hearing loss is in the ear

Auditory processing disorder, or known as APD, isn’t a standard kind of hearing loss and, as such, it can be hard to pick up through a hearing test alone. It is, in fact, a disorder of the mind, one that affects how your brain hears sounds. As such, it may not present as difficulty hearing, but can make it harder to follow conversations, find the direction noises come from, listen to music and to remember spoken instructions.

Many professionals who provide basic hearing tests will not be able to spot or diagnose APD. Only an audiologist can diagnose the disorder. This is done by carrying out a range of more advanced hearing tests and may also include using electrodes that are painlessly attached to the ears and head, measuring the brain’s response to sound to see whether it is working effectively.

It is important to note that APD can affect people of all ages, but it most often develops in children. However, there is a chance you may not have been diagnosed with it as a child, or that it may have developed later in life. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that people who have dyslexia may have developed it as a result of the effects of APD.

Finding the right treatment for your hearing loss

If a more comprehensive hearing test finds that you have hearing loss, but one that mostly makes it difficult to hear speech or hear effectively in more noisy environments, then a hearing aid may be the most effective solution. There are hearing aids for all kinds of hearing loss, including mild hearing loss, so it’s never too early to start treating hearing loss.

If you have APD, there’s no cure, but there are a range of ways to treat it. Devices like hearing aids can help you hear more clearly; therapy can help you recognize sounds and improve other conversational skills.

Get a definitive answer to your hearing loss questions

If you’ve had a hearing test before, but you’re still not certain whether you have hearing loss, an audiologist can provide the definitive answer that you need. Get in touch with ENT Physicians Inc. at (419) 318-4987 to learn more about how we can provide a more reliable answer and to arrange an appointment with our team.