Read more
When you arrive for your hearing test, you will be greeted by the front office staff and asked to fill out a few simple forms. These forms include those that record your personal information, medical history and verify your insurance coverage. You will also receive a copy of a our Notice of Privacy as mandated by law.
Dr. DeKriek will spend ample time with you to fully understand your unique struggles when it comes to your hearing. As your appointment begins, Dr. DeKriek will review your personal information with you and then ask a few questions designed to discover the specific types of listening environments that are difficult for you. Learning about your lifestyle and your current listening frustrations will help Dr. DeKriek recommend the perfect hearing solution for you.
Next, Dr. DeKriek will take a look in your ears by using a tool called an otoscope. This medical instrument is used to view your ear canal and the ear drum and help the audiologist determine whether or not there is ear wax obstructing the canal. Furthermore, Dr. DeKriek will take a look at your eardrum to make sure it looks healthy and normal. Sometimes the audiologist will have a video otoscope so you can see inside your ear as well!
The first test that is conducted is called a Pure Tone Hearing Test. This painless test is performed by the audiologist while you sit in a sound-proof booth. Dr. DeKriek will place headphones that are connected to an audiometer over your ears. The audiometer transmits a series of tones at a variety of volumes into your ears to determine the exact point or “threshold” at which you can hear various frequencies of sounds. When you hear a sound, you will be asked to say “yes” or raise your hand. The results of this test will be recorded onto an Audiogram, allowing you to see specifically where your hearing challenges exist.
The next hearing test is called Speech Discrimination Testing. This test allows the audiologist to assess how well you can discriminate common words being spoken at a normal volume. You will listen to a series of one and two syllable words at different volumes and be asked to repeat them as you understood them. This will determine the level at which you can not only detect, but understand speech. Another test that may be conducted is a speech in noise test. This test will determine how well you hear sentences in a noisy environment. For an example of this type of testing, please watch the video to the right of Dr. DeKriek performing Speech Discrimination Testing with a patient.
The results of your tests will be recorded on a form called an audiogram, which the audiologist will review with you. The audiogram reflects your hearing loss in frequencies and decibels. You will be shown the type, pattern and degree of hearing loss, as well as the percentage of normal conversational speech that you are still able to hear. Your audiologist will then relate these results to your concerns about your hearing.
The next step is to consider treatment solutions. Dr. DeKriek will use his professional expertise to recommend a hearing aid best suited for your hearing loss, lifestyle and budget considerations. Our practice offers a wide variety of hearing aids from the leading hearing aid manufacturers to ensure the right fit for every patient. Hearing aids will be programmed based on your Audiogram and fine tuned based on your preferences. Aftercare is always included as are manufacturer warranties for peace of mind. We invite you to contact our practice today to schedule a hearing test with Dr. DeKriek.
Fidelity Hearing Center is a premier audiology clinic serving the hearing impaired of Cerritos, CA and surrounding cities throughout Los Angeles County.
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Saturday: By Appointment
.png)
