Type Of Hearing Test

Pure Tone Audiometry (P.T.A)

A pure tone audiometry test measures the softest, or least audible, sound that a person can hear. During the test, Patient will wear earphones and hear a range of sounds directed to one ear at a time. The loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 20 dB, loud music ranges 80-120 dB, and a jet engine is about 180 dB. The tone of sound is measured in frequencies (Hz). Low bass tones range 50-60 Hz, high-pitched tones range 10,000 Hz or higher. Normal hearing range is 250-8,000 Hz at 25 dB or lower.

Speech Discrimination

A word recognition test (also called speech discrimination test) assesses a person's ability to understand speech from background noise. If your speech discrimination is poor, speech may sound garbled. Word recognition scores can be helpful in predicting the usefulness of a hearing aid.

Tympanometry

A tympanometry test detects problems such as fluid/wax buildup, perforated eardrum, ossicular bone damage, or tumors in the middle ear. Acoustic reflex testing evaluates the cranial nerves and brainstem.

Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BERA)

The BERA test measures the reaction of the parts of a child’s nervous system that affect hearing. The ABR test measures the auditory nerve’s response to sounds. It performed if a newborn or infant fails the hearing screening test given in the hospital shortly after birth, or for older children if there is a suspicion of hearing loss that was not confirmed through more conventional hearing tests.

The BERA is a helpful tool in determining a child’s ability to hear. The test uses a special computer to measure the way the child’s hearing nerve responds to different sounds.

Three to four small stickers called “electrodes” will be placed on your child’s head and in front of his or her ears and connected to a computer.

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)

Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) Screening is used widely in hospital-based newborn hearing screening programs. Portable OAE screening is the most practical method for screening infants and toddlers.

The procedure is performed with a portable handheld screening unit. A small probe is placed in the child’s ear canal. This probe delivers a low-volume sound stimulus into the ear. The cochlea responds by producing an otoacoustic emission, sometimes described as an “echo,” that travels back through the middle ear to the ear canal and is analyzed by the screening unit. In approximately 30 seconds, the result is displayed on the screening unit as a “pass” or a “refer.”