When it comes to hearing loss, there are several ways that it can be diagnosed. While there are many different types of tests, there are some that are more common than others, which is what we’re going to be taking an in-depth look at. Below, we will discuss three of the most common hearing tests, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.
Bone conduction testing
Bone conduction testing measures your inner ear’s response to sound. A conductor will be placed behind your ear and send small vibrations through the bone straight into the inner ear. This is another type of pure-tone testing, which we are going to talk about in a moment. When you join both of these tests together, your audiologist will use the differences to have a better idea of what type of hearing loss you are experiencing.
Pure-tone testing
This kind of testing uses air conduction to measure your ability to hear sounds at various pitches and volumes. With this test, you will be asked to wear headphones and sit in a specially designed area. Once this has been done, through the headphones, you will hear a range of sounds that are a variety of pitches and volumes. When you hear the tone, you will need to indicate to the audiologist that you heard it, which is usually done by pressing a button or raising your finger. Once the test is complete, the audiologist will chart your audiogram results before discussing the findings with you.
Speech testing
Speech testing is used to measure your speech reception threshold. Essentially, this is the faintest speech that you can understand half of the time or more. It can be done in either a quiet or noisy environment. This test measures your ability to be able to separate speech from background noise. You may also be asked to repeat words that you hear at a louder level to test word recognition.
Usually, it is done in a noisy place as this is where people who are experiencing hearing loss will find it the most difficult to hear. Your audiologist will talk to you beforehand to determine the best course of action for your speech testing, so make sure that you are completely honest with them to get an accurate diagnosis from your audiologist.
Hearing tests can be performed at any age, and a specific type is usually included in a newborn screening. If you need a hearing test, then get in touch with your audiologist and book an appointment today.
