How a Hearing Test Works
Hearing tests determine how well you hear sounds and how effectively your inner ear transmits those sounds to the brain. The most commonly used hearing test is called the pure-tone audiometry test, which plays a series of tones using an audiometer. A hearing tone test measures what frequencies of tones you can hear.
During a pure-tone audiometry test, you will wear headphones and sit in a soundproof booth. Outside the booth, a specialist will be operating the audiometer and documenting your responses. You will be instructed to push a button on a hand-held device each time you hear a tone. Tones vary in loudness (decibels) and pitch (frequency) to test the ability of your inner ear to detect sound vibrations.
Before you are placed in the soundproof booth, a specialist will examine your ears using an otoscope to ensure your eardrum is not damaged, infected or fluid-filled. Hearing tests are not given to people with ear infections.
During a pure-tone audiometry test, you will wear headphones and sit in a soundproof booth. Outside the booth, a specialist will be operating the audiometer and documenting your responses. You will be instructed to push a button on a hand-held device each time you hear a tone. Tones vary in loudness (decibels) and pitch (frequency) to test the ability of your inner ear to detect sound vibrations.
Before you are placed in the soundproof booth, a specialist will examine your ears using an otoscope to ensure your eardrum is not damaged, infected or fluid-filled. Hearing tests are not given to people with ear infections.
Evaluating Results of a Hearing Test
If your hearing is normal, you will be able to hear tones of equal decibels in both ears. If you are given a word recognition test as part of your hearing examination, you should be able to repeat at least 90 percent of the words if your hearing is normal.
If your hearing is below normal, you will only hear tones emitted at certain decibels levels and/or score below a 90 percent on your word recognition test. Also, you may hear tones better in one ear.
If your hearing is below normal, you will only hear tones emitted at certain decibels levels and/or score below a 90 percent on your word recognition test. Also, you may hear tones better in one ear.
Auditory Brainstem Response Hearing Test
When babies are born with illnesses, genetic defects or other anomalies, an auditory brainstem response hearing test may be ordered to determine if hearing loss exists. Given to children under six months old, the ABR test measures hearing by detecting changes in neural responses to sounds entering their ears. Electrodes placed in front of their ears and on their head record neural responses to tones of varying loudness and pitch.
Free Hearing Test Online
Although the hearing tests you can take online should not be taken as medically accurate, they may still provide some insight into whether you may be suffering hearing loss.
Try our test.
For answers to your questions about hearing tests and hearing loss, contact our team today.
Try our test.
For answers to your questions about hearing tests and hearing loss, contact our team today.