Attending a hearing test is the most reliable way to get a clear picture of your hearing health, but having a pre-existing hearing condition such as tinnitus may affect the results of the test.
If you are aware that you have tinnitus, or suspect that you have it, it’s important to understand the potential impact that it can have on your hearing test results, as well as how to prevent it from affecting the accuracy of the test.
How do I know if I have tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a hearing condition that can be recognised as a high-pitched “ringing”, “buzzing” “chirping sound” or even a pulsing sound. It can be constant or intermittent in its nature.
If you experience hearing odd sounds similar to the above, it’s possible that you have some form of tinnitus. The likelihood of developing tinnitus increases with frequent exposure to loud sounds or if there was prior damage to the parts of the ear.
Tinnitus is formally diagnosed by medical professionals, including audiologists and ENT specialists, through a comprehensive assessment.
The impact of tinnitus on hearing test results
The ringing sounds caused by tinnitus often impair hearing ability, which means it can affect the accuracy of hearing results during a test.
During a hearing test, audiologists will guide individuals through a series of audio tests to check for hearing loss — most notably, it will include a segment where participants will put on a pair of headphones and respond to a range of sound frequencies that are played at intervals.
Tinnitus can make it difficult to hear certain played tones during the test, which can cause inaccuracies in the hearing test results. It also complicates the hearing test as the symptoms (ringing sounds) are not typically detected by a general hearing test.
If there’s a likelihood you will experience tinnitus during the hearing test, the audiologist may present the tones as pulsing tones or ‘warble tones’ to make it easier to distinguish the test tones from your tinnitus. At least two of your consistent responses to the presented test tones will be recorded as your hearing threshold for a particular frequency.
How to prepare for a hearing test when you have tinnitus
The key to preparing for a hearing test when you have tinnitus is to inform the audiologist about the condition, even if you don’t have a medical diagnosis. The symptoms of tinnitus can only be experienced by those affected by it, so they won’t know unless you tell them!
There are also specialised tests that the audiologist can carry out to detect tinnitus and assess its severity — based on their assessment of your hearing condition, they may recommend such a test to help you find a solution to better manage the symptoms of tinnitus.
Before attending the hearing test, you should also try to get a proper period of rest and avoid taking alcohol or nicotine in the period leading up to the test to help your body be at its best. If possible, you should also try to relax the day before the test as stress is a known factor that contributes to the intensity of tinnitus.
Can a hearing test make tinnitus worse?
No, undergoing a professional hearing test will not make tinnitus worse, nor will it cause tinnitus to develop. Audiologists are trained to conduct hearing tests within the safe limit of hearing.
A hearing test can actually be beneficial for those with tinnitus as it can help to provide a clear picture of an individual’s hearing ability, as well as how tinnitus is affecting it.
Taking a hearing test is also a crucial part of the process for getting hearing aids, some of which have specialised features to mitigate the effects of tinnitus to provide more comfort and better hearing quality for individuals.
At Harmony Hearing, our audiologists offer comprehensive diagnostic hearing tests for both hearing loss and tinnitus. Whether you are currently affected with tinnitus or want to check if you have it, we can guide you through a stress-free hearing test, deliver accurate results for your hearing ability, and provide effective solutions to help you hear better and more comfortably. Book a hearing test at our clinics in Perth today!