How is age-related hearing loss diagnosed?

How is age-related hearing loss diagnosed?

A hearing loss diagnosis begins by looking inside your ear. Your healthcare provider uses a tool called an otoscope (small magnifying instrument with a light) to look at your eardrum and outer ear canal. This exam checks for eardrum damage, inflammation (redness and swelling) or infection.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to an audiologist (hearing specialist) or otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist). During the test, your audiologist will have you listen to a series of beeps through a set of headphones and respond when you hear each sound. You will also listen for words presented at various loudness levels and repeat them back. The audiologist will use an audiogram to graph your hearing sensitivity, which can help give the provider clues about the type, degree and cause of your hearing loss.