What are the Most Common Hearing Tests Conducted?

As you age, it is common to experience hearing loss. However, even young people tend to have hearing loss. While some seek treatment from a qualified audiologist, others tend to leave this condition unattended to which may have adverse outcomes in the long run, such as permanent hearing loss.

There are three types of hearing loss:

• Conductive hearing loss affects the outer or middle ear.
• Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner year.
• Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the two.

Suppose you notice symptoms such as difficulty hearing over the phone, listening to music in loud volumes, difficulty understanding someone in a public place or frequently asking someone to repeat something. In that case, it is time to consider getting a hearing loss diagnosis.

The following are some of the standard tests conducted to determine the hearing loss one is experiencing and what treatment would best suit your condition.

Pure Tone Testing

This is a common test that involves determining the faintest tone one can hear at different pitches. In other words, an audiologist will use this test to measure and determine how well you can listen to sound at different volumes.

The process involves sitting in a room with limited outside interference, and wearing headphones. Your audiologist will then play a series of sounds at different volumes and frequencies and you will then push a button once you hear any sound.

Speech Testing

This is another straightforward test which an audiologist can perform on an adult or older child. This kind of test will determine how well you listen to something and repeat the words you hear. While conducting this test, you will wear headphones and your audiologists will say words for you to repeat what you hear.

Audiometry

There are various types of audiometry tests with diverse applicability, but the overall aim is to measure a patient's ability to hear sound. Such tests include self-recording, impedance, subjective and computer-administered audiometry.

An audiometry test will help determine your hearing using a range of sound frequencies. The test involves three parts: the function of the middle part of the year measured through mechanical sound transmission, neural sound transmission which determines the cochlea’s function and speech discrimination ability.

Tympanometry

This is a hearing test that checks the function of the middle ear. A tympanometry test determines the movement of the middle ear and eardrum. This test is vital to help audiologists determine whether a patient needs hearing aids or medical treatment.

The results obtained from this test get displayed on a tympanogram. This is a graphic representation of a patient's eardrum movement in response to air pressure activated by a sound wave. Besides, this test is excellent for checking the presence of fluid or wax buildup.

Auditory Brainstem Response

Lastly, this kind of test helps to determine the time taken for sound to get processed in your ear. The goal of this test is to ensure that the direction or pathway that connects your ear and the part of your brain that comprehends sound is functional.

Suppose you are diagnosed with hearing loss once the above tests get conducted. In that case, your audiologists can accurately suggest the best treatment to suit your needs such as wearing hearing aids.