In order to determine your type, degree and configuration of hearing loss, a series of audiology evaluations must be performed. An audiologist will review the results of each test and use that information to develop a treatment plan geared toward your individual hearing loss.
Who Should Be Given an Audiology Evaluation?
Patients of all ages should complete a hearing exam. Even those who do not exhibit signs of hearing loss.
Hearing loss is a progressive condition that often develops slowly. Because of this, many people are not aware of a change in their hearing for some time. Studies indicate that it takes seven years, on average, for a hearing impaired individual to seek treatment.
A hearing test should be the first step for anyone who thinks they may have hearing loss. The sooner a diagnosis of hearing loss is made, the more successful the treatment will be. Early detection means more options for the patient.
A comprehensive audiology evaluation consists of a series of individual diagnostic tests that measure different aspects of your hearing. The following seven tests are the most common.
Pure Tone Audiometry
Also known as pure-tone testing, this test uses air conduction to measure your ability to hear sounds of various pitches and volumes. Wearing headphones, you will be asked to identify a series of tones by raising a hand, pressing a button, or responding verbally.
The results are charted on an audiogram, a graph that shows the type, degree and configuration of your hearing loss by comparing pitch (frequency) with loudness (intensity). The pattern recorded will help your audiologist determine your hearing threshold.
Bone Conduction Testing
Bone conduction testing is another type of pure-tone test that measures the inner ear’s response to sound. If there is damage or a blockage in the outer or middle ear, bone conduction audiometry testing may be used.
Instead of sending the tones through the ear, this type of testing is able to bypass the outer and middle ear and send the tone directly to the inner ear. A small vibrator is placed behind the ear. The device sends out a vibration that passes through the skull bone to reach the inner ear.
If the results of this test are different than the air conduction test, your audiologist can use this information to determine whether you have a conductive or sensorineural hearing loss.
This test is often used in place of air conduction testing when an obstruction in the outer or middle ears is present.
Speech Testing
Speech (or word recognition) testing is used to measure your speech reception threshold (SRT), or the faintest speech you can understand 50 percent of the time. This is compared with your pure-tone test results to confirm the diagnosis. In addition, your ability to separate speech from background noise will be recorded.
Speech testing may be administered in either a quiet or noisy environment; results are recorded on the audiogram for easy visual reference.
Acoustic Reflex Testing
The acoustic reflex test measures involuntary muscle contractions of the middle ear, and is used to determine the location of your hearing problem (the ossicles, cochlea, auditory nerve, etc.) as well as the type of hearing loss.
Tympanometry
Tympanometry is a test of the middle ear used to detect fluid, wax buildup, eardrum perforations and tumors. It measures movement of the eardrum in response to air pressure; the results are recorded on a chart called a tympanogram.
Call Audiology Center Northwest at (503) 232-1845 for more information or to schedule an appointment.