When beginning a hearing test, which ear should be tested first according to the patient's report?

Testing the better ear first can provide a stable benchmark for establishing the patient's hearing ability. By starting with the better ear, the audiologist can gain insights into how the patient perceives sound and can also better gauge the differences in hearing ability when moving to the worse ear later in the test. This approach tends to reduce patient anxiety, as they may find the testing process less daunting when engaging with their more functional ear initially.

The strategy also aligns with the principle of maximizing the patient's comfort level and optimizing testing conditions. Additionally, when the better ear is tested first, the patient's expectation of hearing may be better aligned with the results obtained, allowing for clearer communication and understanding of their hearing status.

Choosing to test the worse ear first could lead to misinterpretation of hearing difficulties, as patients may focus on their more significant challenges rather than their overall hearing capabilities, which could muddle the understanding of their complete auditory profile.