Your doctor might start with a simple screening test called the whispered voice test. They'll stand behind you and whisper a series of words or numbers, asking you to repeat them. This quick test can give a general idea of whether you're having hearing difficulties. Another quick screening tool is a questionnaire like the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening, which asks about how hearing issues affect your daily life.

Tuning forks are simple metal instruments that produce a specific tone when struck. Doctors use two main tests with tuning forks: the Weber test and the Rinne test. These can help determine if hearing loss is conductive (in the outer or middle ear) or sensorineural (in the inner ear or auditory nerve). Age-related hearing loss is typically sensorineural.

For a detailed assessment of your hearing, you'll likely be referred for a formal audiogram. This test is performed in a soundproof booth where you wear headphones and respond to various tones. The audiologist will plot your ability to hear different frequencies and volumes on a graph. They'll also test your ability to understand speech at different volumes. This comprehensive test can diagnose presbycusis and determine its severity.

In some cases, your doctor might recommend additional tests. These could include tympanometry to check your eardrum's movement or acoustic reflex testing to evaluate how certain ear muscles respond to sound. If there's concern about other underlying conditions, imaging tests like MRI or CT scans might be ordered, though these aren't typically needed for diagnosing age-related hearing loss alone.

Understanding how hearing loss is diagnosed can help you take control of your auditory health.