If you've been wondering whether your hearing isn't quite what it used to be — or someone close to you has been gently (or not so gently) suggesting you get it checked — you've probably thought about making an appointment. Then maybe you talked yourself out of it because you weren’t sure what to expect. That's more common than you'd think. The unknown can feel like a good enough reason to wait.
But a hearing test is one of the most straightforward appointments you'll ever have. Here's what actually happens, so you can walk in knowing what to expect.
Before the Test Begins
When you arrive at Boerne Hearing & Tinnitus, we'll start by sitting down and talking with you. No forms to fumble through alone — we want to hear from you directly. We'll ask about any sounds you've been struggling with, whether it's conversations at restaurants, following along on the phone, or turning the TV up louder than you used to.
We'll also ask about your health history, any medications you take, and whether you've had significant noise exposure over the years. All of that context matters when we're interpreting your results. It's a conversation, not an interrogation.
A Quick Look in Your Ears
Before any formal testing starts, we'll take a look inside your ear canals with a small instrument called an otoscope. This only takes a moment, and it tells us a lot. Sometimes what looks like a hearing problem is actually earwax buildup pressing against the eardrum — and that's something that can be addressed right away.
We're also checking the overall health of the ear canal and eardrum, looking for anything that might need attention before we move forward.
The Hearing Test Itself
The bulk of the appointment takes place in a sound-treated booth. You'll put on a pair of headphones, and we'll play a series of tones at different pitches and volumes through each ear. Your job is simple: press a button (or raise your hand) whenever you hear a sound, even if it's very faint.
This part of the test is called pure tone audiometry, and it maps out your hearing across the range of frequencies that matter most for understanding speech. There's no trick to it. Just respond to what you hear.
From there, we'll typically move into speech testing. We'll say a series of words — sometimes in quiet, sometimes with background noise — and ask you to repeat them back. This helps us understand not just how loud sounds need to be for you to hear them, but how clearly you're able to make out speech. Those two things don't always line up the same way, and both matter.
Understanding Your Results
Once testing is complete, we'll sit down together and go over what we found. Your results are plotted on a chart called an audiogram, which shows your hearing levels across different frequencies for each ear. We'll walk you through what it means in plain terms — not clinical jargon.
If your hearing falls within normal range, that's genuinely good news and a useful baseline for the future. If there's hearing loss, we'll talk about the type, the degree, and what your options are. There's no pressure to make any decisions that day. The point of this visit is understanding where you stand.
What Comes After
For some patients, the hearing test is the beginning of a longer conversation about treatment — whether that's hearing aids, tinnitus management, or something else. For others, it's simply reassurance that things are fine or a first step in monitoring changes over time.
Either way, you'll leave with a clear picture of your hearing health and a provider who's genuinely invested in what happens next.
Schedule a Hearing Test in Boerne
At Boerne Hearing & Tinnitus, hearing evaluations are led by Rachel Higginbotham, Au.D., a Doctor of Audiology with nearly 15 years of experience and deep roots in the Boerne community. We're locally owned and independent — which means our only focus is on what's right for you, not on pushing a product or meeting a quota.
If you're ready to find out where your hearing stands, we'd love to see you. Give us a call at 830-755-4327 to schedule your appointment.
