Hearing Testing

What You Should Know About Hearing Tests

Are you having trouble following your favorite TV show? Do you miss important details during work meetings? Losing your hearing can leave you feeling left out or confused.

At Eastpoint Audiology, we want to help improve your hearing. The first step is a hearing test.

A hearing test helps us check your overall hearing health. We use different methods to see how well you hear different types of sounds. This test can spot the early signs of hearing loss—even before you notice any problems. If your hearing is still normal, the test sets a baseline so we can track changes over time. After the test, we’ll talk about the best treatment plan for you.

Hearing Tests at Eastpoint Audiology in Louisville

We offer several types of hearing tests, including:

Pure-Tone Audiometry

This is the most common hearing test. You'll wear headphones and listen to beeps at various volumes and pitches. You will indicate when you hear a sound with your hand or a button. This test identifies the quietest sounds you can hear across different frequencies.

Speech Audiometry

This test evaluates how well you understand words when spoken. You'll listen to pre-recorded individual words or full sentences at different volumes and with background noise. This measures your ability to distinguish speech from background sounds.

Tympanometry

This test measures the middle ear's function by gently changing air pressure in the ear canal. It can detect blockages like earwax buildup or fluid in the middle ear, which can affect hearing.

Auditory Brainstem Response

This test assesses the brainstem's response to sound. Electrodes are placed on the head to measure electrical activity while you listen to clicks or beeps. It helps identify hearing loss within the auditory pathway from the ear to the brain.

Otoacoustic Emissions Testing

This test evaluates the health of the hair cells in the inner ear, which convert sound waves into electrical signals. A tiny probe placed in the ear canal measures faint sounds produced by the healthy hair cells in response to external sounds.

Those are the most common, but we do have other types of tests available. After examining your symptoms and overall hearing health, we’ll determine which hearing tests best meet your needs.

What happens during a hearing test?

Most hearing tests happen in a quiet room. You’ll wear headphones and listen to various sounds. Each type of test focuses on a different part of your hearing. After we finish testing, we’ll look at your results together.

What does a hearing test show?

A test like audiometry shows the cause, type, and level of hearing loss. You’ll see your results on a chart called an audiogram, which measures both sound volume (in decibels) and pitch. On this graph, you’ll have data points for each sound or pitch tested. It will show:

Which sounds or pitches you hear clearly
Which sounds are harder for you to hear
How severe any hearing loss is

What is the normal hearing range?

On an audiogram, higher data points usually mean better hearing. Most people with normal hearing can hear sounds quieter than 25 decibels (like a whisper). Here are common categories:

Normal Hearing

You can hear sounds under 25dB.

Mild Hearing Loss

You can hear sounds between 25dB and 40dB, but softer sounds are tough to catch.

Moderate Hearing Loss

You struggle with sounds under 41dB to 65dB.

Severe Hearing Loss

You have trouble hearing sounds under 66dB to 90dB.

Profound Hearing Loss

You need sounds louder than 90dB (similar to a lawnmower) to hear them.

Hearing loss might not be even across all pitches. You could hear well at some pitches but have problems at others—like high tones.

Why is a hearing test important?

A hearing test is a simple way to protect your hearing health. Even if you think your hearing is good, this test gives you a baseline for the future. If you do have any hearing loss, these tests help us create a plan to treat it.

At Eastpoint Audiology, we want you to enjoy the best possible hearing. Call 502-215-3860 or contact us online to schedule a hearing test with us today.

What Tests Are Included in a Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation?

Your hearing evaluation at Eastpoint Audiology is thorough, painless, and typically completed in under an hour. Here’s what you can expect:

Physical Examination

Your audiologist begins by visually inspecting your ear canal and eardrum using an otoscope, checking for earwax buildup, infection, or other visible concerns.

Tympanometry

This quick, non-invasive test measures how well your eardrum moves in response to air pressure.

Pure Tone Audiometry (Air Conduction)

You'll listen to a series of tones through headphones and respond when you hear them.

Bone Conduction Testing

A small vibrator placed behind the ear sends sound directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear.

Speech Testing

Measures how clearly you can hear and understand words, both in quiet and in background noise (the Quick SIN test).

Acoustic Reflex & OAE Testing (when indicated)

Additional diagnostic tests may be used to pinpoint the location of a hearing problem or to assess the health of the inner ear's hair cells.

After all testing is complete, your audiologist will walk you through your results, explain your audiogram, and discuss the best next steps for your hearing health.

Why Early Testing Matters — The Risks of Waiting

Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions in the U.S., yet the average person waits seven years after noticing changes before seeking help. That delay has real consequences.

Cognitive health. Research has consistently linked untreated hearing loss to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. When the brain receives less auditory input, it compensates — pulling resources away from memory and thinking.

Mental and emotional well-being. Struggling to follow conversations leads many people to withdraw from social situations. Over time, this isolation contributes to higher rates of depression and anxiety.

Physical safety. Hearing loss is associated with a significantly higher risk of falls — even mild hearing loss triples fall risk — because spatial awareness and concentration are affected.

How often should you get tested? Audiologists recommend a baseline hearing evaluation for all adults, with routine follow-ups every 10 years until age 50, and every three years after that. If you work in a noisy environment, take ototoxic medications, or already notice changes in your hearing, earlier and more frequent testing is advised.

The good news: a hearing test at Eastpoint Audiology takes less than an hour, is completely painless, and gives you clear answers