What are the Most Common Hearing Tests

Hearing loss can be difficult to treat without the correct assistance. When seeking treatment, an audiologist is one of the most trustworthy and professional sources of information, which is why it's critical to seek help if you suspect you're experiencing hearing loss. Speaking with an audiologist is the quickest way to find out if you have hearing loss. An audiologist can quickly diagnose if you have hearing loss and the severity of your hearing loss by administering a series of tests that measure your current level of hearing. So, what are the most common hearing tests?

Pure-tone testing

Pure-tone audiometry is one of the first tests your audiologist will conduct. This test uses air conduction to see how well you can hear sounds at different frequencies and loudness. You will usually wear headphones and sit in a room or booth that is specifically created for the test to ensure that no outside interference affects your results. Your audiologist will use your headphones to play a series of sounds, and you will be asked to raise your hand or press a button each time you hear something. This will help you establish your current hearing range and which frequencies you have difficulty hearing.

Bone conduction testing

This test, like the pure-tone test, will identify the severity of your hearing loss by monitoring how your ear responds to different sounds. A conductor will be implanted behind your ear, sending little vibrations directly to your ear through your bones. Bone conduction testing is significantly more accurate than pure-tone testing, which relies on regular sounds and your perception of sound. It analyzes how your inner ear reacts and isn't dependent on your input.

Tympanometry

This is one of the first tests you should do, and it entails evaluating the movement of your eardrum when air pressure is applied to it. This is done to see whether there is any fluid or wax accumulation in your ear, as well as to see if there are any tumors or other blockages in your ear that are obstructing it and preventing you from hearing properly. This test will be performed if your audiologist feels that your hearing loss is caused by a physical obstruction. Tympanometry is sometimes included in a larger set of tests called middle ear testing, which also includes acoustic reflex and static acoustic tests.

Speech testing

This test evaluates your ability to distinguish speech from background noises in a quiet environment. It can also take place in a loud setting that the audiologist controls. It's used to establish what degree of speech you can recognize by measuring your speech reception threshold. One of the drawbacks of hearing loss is the inability to distinguish speech from background noise, which is why this test is so important.

As you can see, when you visit your audiologist, they will conduct a range of hearing tests. They will do particular tests based on your circumstances, as determined by your audiologist following a brief consultation. Although it may appear that you will be subjected to numerous examinations, they are all painless and short.