The reality is that no matter how thorough a hearing test is and how much diagnostic equipment is used, I can never actually get inside your head and hear exactly how you hear.
After audiometry I will be able to tell you what frequencies (pitch) of sound you hear at what level of hearing loss (mild/moderate/sever/profound); however human speech is made up of a whole range of frequencies (from 220Hz to 8000Hz) all working together, and it’s not just our ears that are involved in deciphering all this information, it’s our brains too.
That’s why I will typically conduct a speech test in addition to an audiometric hearing test. I very much prefer using the voice of a loved one – ideally the one you live with that may have to repeat things to you most often! – so that together, we can establish exactly what parts of speech are causing you difficulty; because that information can help in getting the initial hearing aid settings correct for you, as early in the process as possible.
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