There are Three common tests audiologists use to diagnose a patient’s hearing loss. These tests include: 

• Pure tone audiometry

• Speech audiometry

• Tympanometry

 

 

Pure tone audiometry

A pure tone audiometry determines what range of pitches an individual can hear. The test will pick out the faintest tones a person can hear at multiple pitches, or frequency. The test is not painful and shouldn’t cause anxiety for the patient.

During the test, the patient will wear headphones. A sound will be played through the headphones. Should the patient hear the sound, they will respond by raising a hand, pressing a button or saying, “yes.” Each ear will be tested individually in order to get the most accurate results. In an audiometry test, your hearing is measured using a range of frequencies, from low to high. these frequencies typically range from 250 to 8,000 Hz. This can help determine which frequencies you hear at best.   

Speech audiometry 

During the examination, the patient has to repeat out loud a list of words spoken at different volumes, the examiner then rates your ability to understand speech discrimination with a percentage

 

 

 

Tympanometry

To determine how the middle ear is functioning, an audiologist will get measurements suchDuring the examination, the patient has to repeat out loud a list of words spoken at different volumes, the examiner then rates your ability to understand speech discrimination with a percentage as tympanometry, acoustic reflex measures and static acoustic measures. During a middle ear test, the audiologist pushes air pressure into the canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate back and forth. Acoustic reflex measures provide information regarding the location of the hearing issue. Acoustic reflex is the contraction of the middle ear when introduced to a loud sound. Testing for acoustic measure enables an audiologist to identify a perforated eardrum and check the opening of the ear’s ventilation tubes.To  measure your middle ear function, a tympanometry test evaluates the stiffness of your eardrum. this type of test can help providers to diagnose a variety of issues, including fluid in the middle ear, negative middle ear pressure, disruption of the ossicles, tympanic membrane perforation, and otosclerosis.

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