Sometimes when you’re watching TV, you can’t hear the sound very well. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are rescuing Princess Leia, the blasters are rumbling, the Wookiee is howling, and you can’t hear a thing. Maybe Luke said “I’m here with Obi-Wan Kenobi” or maybe he said “Would you like fries with that?” You just can’t tell. So you turn up the volume and turn it up and turn it up but you still can’t hear it and now your husband is yelling that he’s too loud. Finally, you start to wonder if maybe it’s something more. Maybe his hearing isn’t what it used to be. But there is still a question: how to know if the problem is really the ears?

There is a simple solution. You can take a hearing test. There are many different types of hearing tests, and they come in many different shapes and sizes.

One tried and true method that you can use to measure your hearing is the audiometer test. It is usually given to people seated in a soundproof room. This booth is a lot like the room musicians use to record their music because it is completely soundproof. The person receiving the procedure will wear a pair of headphones that are connected to an audiometer. A licensed audiologist plays a series of tones at specific frequencies and volume levels to each ear independently. As you perform the test, you will indicate by raising your hand or pressing a button whether or not you heard the sound. The results are plotted on a graph and, at the end of the procedure; the audiologist will be able to determine the degree of hearing loss she is experiencing.

Another hearing test is called a tympanogram. In this test, the air pressure in the ear canal is varied using a small probe placed in the ear. This will tell your audiologist how well your ears and other muscles, tissues, and structures in your ear are working. In this case, if there is a perforation in your tympanic membrane, you will be able to tell and can take steps to correct it. This measures your actual ear and whether or not all parts of your ear are working properly.

The last hearing test that might be administered is an acoustic reflex test. A probe is placed in your ear and a loud tone is played. This will estimate whether or not your stapedius muscle is working and whether it can contract to protect your ears from loud noises. You want to make sure there is nothing wrong here as it could indicate an injury to your ear or a faulty reflex contraction that could be preventing your ears from working properly.

There are many hearing tests you can take to find out why you’re not hearing at optimal levels. Get your results back today and enjoy Star Wars at full volume!