One of the main tests you will undergo during a hearing consultation is pure tone audiometry.
This test is able to determine how well you can hear, including the intensity and frequency of different sounds.
Most healthy adults only need a hearing test every 10 years or so, but it can be helpful to go more frequently if you are 50 or older.
A hearing test is one of the best ways to determine if anything has changed in your hearing, and while you can do some online tests, it’s always best to visit an audiologist.
Here London Hearing Specialist offer some advice on what your hearing test is all about, and what the results mean.
What is a pure tone audiometry test?
This type of hearing test consists of listening to sounds through headphones. When you hear a sound, you push a button.
The sounds are often at different pitches and frequencies to help test the full range of your hearing abilities.
An audiologist can measure two different types of hearing.
Ear Cleaning: During the hearing test, your audiologist may also inspect your ears for any earwax buildup or blockages that could affect your hearing.
If necessary, they will recommend ear cleaning to ensure accurate test results and better hearing health.
Air conduction hearing measures the sound intensity heard through the outer, middle and inner ear, while bone conduction hearing measures intensity heard through the inner ear only.
How is my hearing measured?
The results of a pure tone audiometry test are shown on an audiogram. This is a graph, with the vertical axis showing the loudness or intensity of the signal.
This is measured in decibels, ranging from -10 dBHL which his very quiet, up to 120 dBHL which is very loud.
The horizontal axis shows the frequency, beginning on the left with low pitch and rising in pitch across to the right hand side.
The quietest level of sound heard at each pitch is plotted on an audiogram, typically with a red circle to indicate the right ear, and a blue cross for the left ear.
The further down the chart the results are plotted, the louder the sound had to be in order to be heard.
This pattern and positioning of the results for each ear can then be interpreted by an audiologist to fully understand the extent and nature of your hearing capabilities, as well as diagnosing any hearing loss.
Types of hearing loss
The audiogram can give an idea of the type of hearing loss and what problems this might cause.
The results can also determine whether any further testing is needed.
If you have moderate hearing loss, the audiogram will likely show that you could hear up to 41-70 dB (decibels).
Here you might find yourself looking at people’s faces more to understand what they’re saying, and you may find it difficult to hear the phone ringing or the doorbell.
Severe hearing loss is around 71-90 dB.
Without a hearing aid, you would likely find most sounds difficult to hear.
Hearing loss more extreme than this is known as profound hearing loss, which you have if 90+ dB was the loudest you could hear.
In this case, you would likely need to wear a hearing aid as well as making some lifestyle changes, such as standing closer to the person talking.
Whatever level of hearing loss you are experiencing, your local audiologist will be able to guide you through the next steps and what treatment or recommendations are available for you.