What Happens After the Hearing Test?

So, you have just had a hearing test, and you are wondering what comes next. There are a few things that you can expect after your exam. In many cases, what to expect will depend largely on the diagnosis that your doctor gives you, but there are a few things that apply more generally.

The Diagnosis

After your doctor has had a chance to study the results of your hearing test, she will discuss with you her professional opinion regarding your results. Sense deterioration is something that occurs in degrees, so it is unlikely that your doctor will tell you definitively that you have this or that condition. Instead, what is more likely is that your doctor will inform you that you have met certain baseline requirements and that your sense loss is at a specific level, and this level will either fall below or above the required levels for certain treatments.

Treatment for Mild Cases

If your hearing test shows that the sense has been diminished only slightly, then your doctor likely will not be able to recommend much treatment. This is not to say that the problems that you are experiencing are not real. Rather, it is to say that they are not severe enough to warrant extensive treatment. Instead, your doctor will likely provide you with a set of exercises that you can do to help you learn to focus well enough that your diminished capability will not prove to be any kind of hindrance to your normal, everyday life.

Treatment for Severe Cases

If your hearing test shows that the sense has diminished to sufficient degree, then your doctor will discuss a variety of treatments with you. The most common of these, of course, will be a hearing aid. Hearing aids are electronic devices that are inserted into the ear that serve to amplify sound to a degree that it is able to make up for the loss of capability that you have experienced. The technology involved in these devices has improved substantially in recent years, and many of them are quite small and easy to wear and maintain.

In all, then, what goes on after your hearing test will depend largely on your diagnosis. If your doctor determines that your loss of capability is relatively minor, then your treatment after the exam will be minimal. However, if she determines that it is more extensive, then she will discuss a variety of options for your future treatment, and you will have the opportunity to decide which will best suit your lifestyle.