Diagnostic Audiologic Evaluations
Initial hearing examinations are known as analytical audiologic assessments, where potential hearing loss is evaluated and detected. These evaluations are often recommended by certain professions or even at schools if they feel as though their employee or student may be experiencing some type of hearing impairment.
The hearing tests that are involved in this investigative procedure depends on the age of the afflicted person and the type of hearing problem they are facing. Our audiologist will assess the general health of your inner and middle ears while running tests to detect any sensorineural or conductive hearing damage. Sensorineural hearing loss refers to problems with the inner ear while conductive hearing damage refers to problems with the outer or the middle ear.
Three specific types of tests are conducted during the diagnostic procedures, namely the bone conduction testing, pure-tone, as well as a speech reception examination.
Pure-tone and Bone Conduction Testing
Bone conduction and pure-tone evaluations require people to listen to soft tones of sound at various frequencies to determine the range of sound they have trouble hearing. The difference between the two is that the bone conduction exam utilizes a different kind of headphone which helps examine the functionality of your inner ears
Speech Testing
The third type of test is the speech reception threshold test which examines the ability of a person to understand speech in a variety of background settings ranging from silent to extremely loud listening environments. They will be asked to repeat what they heard to determine whether they are able to recognize speech properly, despite the background environment.
Other tests may include:
The diagnostic evaluation of your ears is your first step towards identifying any potential signs of hearing loss. This is a crucial step in your life to help rectify any hearing damage and help enhance your day to day life. Always discuss any concerns that you may have with your hearing care professional and always be honest in your feedback during the evaluations.
