Hearing & Balance Testing, Phoenix AZ
A Hearing Test Tells You More About Your Health Than You Might Think
Comprehensive audiologic testing is completely non-invasive and done right here in our office. No needles, no discomfort, no recovery time. It gives us the clearest picture of your hearing and balance, and because hearing loss is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, and falls, it is one of the most important things you can do to protect your independence as you age.
Quick Answer
Comprehensive audiologic testing is non-invasive and performed in our Phoenix office, with no needles, no discomfort, and no recovery time. It gives the clearest picture of your hearing and balance. Because hearing loss is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, and falls, testing is one of the most important things you can do to protect your independence.
What to Expect
Having your hearing tested is one of the best ways you can protect your overall health. Hearing loss is linked to serious underlying health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. Even if your hearing loss is not the result of an underlying health condition, treating it will protect against depression, cognitive decline, falls, and more. In fact, because of the importance of proper hearing in communication, socialization, and quality of life, protecting your hearing may be one of the most important things you can do to maintain your overall well being and independence as you age!
Audiologic testing is designed to test for hearing loss and other hearing or balance issues. These non-invasive, comprehensive diagnostic tests will give our hearing specialists the information needed to make a diagnosis as well as determine the severity of the condition and the recommended treat-ment.
In most cases, you’ll see the audiologist for testing before you see the doc-tor.
Your comprehensive hearing testing may include:
Diagnostic audiogram
While the name may sound intimidating, this is a non-invasive hearing test that involves listening to different sounds at specific frequencies (between 250 and 8000 Hz, the threshold necessary to understand speech. Audio-grams may also test your ability to comprehend words you hear through the headphones.
Tympanometry
This test examines the function of the eardrum and middle ear. A tympa-nometer device is inserted (painlessly) into the ear canal, where it creates air pressure changes and measures the body’s response. You’ll need to re-main quiet and still and refrain from speaking or swallowing during the test. If hearing loss is due to fluid buildup, earwax, or a perforated eardrum, this will be indicated in the results of the tympanogram.
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing
OAE testing assesses how well the inner ear (cochlea) is functioning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Patients Ask About Hearing and Balance Testing
Does a hearing test hurt?
No. Diagnostic hearing testing is painless and non-invasive. You sit in a sound-treated booth, listen through headphones, and respond when you hear a tone or repeat back words. Tympanometry uses a brief change in air pressure that some people compare to a quick altitude change, and it lasts only a few seconds per ear.
How long does a full hearing evaluation take?
Plan on about 45 to 60 minutes for a comprehensive evaluation, which includes your history, an ear exam, a diagnostic audiogram, tympanometry, and speech testing. You receive your results and an explanation of what they mean during the same visit rather than waiting days for a callback.
What is the difference between a hearing screening and a diagnostic audiogram?
A screening only tells you whether you pass or fail at a few frequencies. A diagnostic audiogram maps your hearing threshold at each pitch in each ear, separates conductive from sensorineural loss, and measures how well you understand speech, not just whether you detect sound. Treatment decisions require the diagnostic version.
Can a hearing test point to other health problems?
It can. Sudden hearing loss, one-sided hearing loss, and hearing loss paired with dizziness can indicate conditions that need prompt medical evaluation. Hearing loss is also associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A hearing test is not a general health screen, but abnormal findings are a legitimate reason to look further.
My hearing seems fine, but I struggle in restaurants. Is testing worth it?
Yes, and that is one of the most common reasons people finally come in. Difficulty in background noise is often the first sign of high-frequency hearing loss, which leaves quiet one-on-one conversation intact while making consonants hard to separate in a noisy room. Standard diagnostic testing detects it.
Meet Mary Ferriera, Au.D.
Mary Ferriera, Au.D., is the audiologist at Elite ENT in Phoenix. She performs comprehensive hearing and balance testing in the office, non-invasive and with no recovery time, and walks you through exactly what the results mean. Because hearing loss is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, and falls, she treats testing as preventive care rather than a formality.
