Hearing troubles affect approximately 15% of adults in the United States. On top of that are the 0.2% to 0.3% of children born with detectable hearing loss in either or both ears.
That prevalence has prompted the development of seven primary types of hearing tests. They allow ear specialists to determine if a patient has a hearing problem and, if so, how severe it is. As a result, doctors can create an appropriate treatment plan based on the exams’ results.
So, as soon as you’ve noticed some degree of loss in your hearing, it’s best to undergo hearing tests. Below is a guide discussing the types (and why you need a hearing test), so be sure to keep reading.
1. Pure-Tone Test
The pure-tone test, also known as audiometry, measures how well your ear hears sounds. It uses air conduction to produce varying pitches and loudness.
An audiometry exam involves putting on headphones that broadcast a series of tones. Expect the sounds to have varying pitches and volumes throughout the test. Some are even almost inaudible.
As part of the test, you have to respond and let the provider or doctor know right after hearing something. For example, you may have to raise your hand, say something (such as “Yes”), or press a button on a machine.
The results reveal the quietest sounds you hear at varying pitches and loudness.
It’s best to get a pure-tone test if your work exposes you to loud noises all the time. Do the same if you have a long history of listening to loud music or frequenting gun ranges. You may also have to undergo this exam as part of your DOT physical requirements.
2. Speech and Word Recognition Test
The speech and word recognition test measures your ability to hear spoken language. Like the audiometry test, it also involves wearing headphones. Instead of simple sounds, though, you listen to words spoken in varying volumes.
The provider or doctor then records the quietest speech you can hear. You can also expect part of the test to include background noises to mimic a noisy environment.
It’s wise to get a speech and word recognition test if you find it hard to understand conversations. This exam can help reveal if you have hearing loss and, if so, the degree of the impairment.
3. Tuning Fork Exams
These exams rely on a tuning fork, a two-pronged metal device producing tone as it vibrates. These assessments, such as the Rinne and Weber tests, can show if you have hearing impairment in one or both ears. They also determine which type of hearing loss you have (conductive or sensorineural).
An ear specialist places a tuning fork behind your ear or above your head during the exam. The device then gets hit to make it produce a tone.
You have to tell the examiner if you hear the tone and, if so, in which ear. If the sound is audible in both ears, then let the specialist know, too.
You may want to get a tuning fork exam if you’ve noticed that one of your ears has better hearing. Fortunately, it’s affordable, as it doesn’t use expensive machines, only low-cost tuning forks.
4. Tympanometry
Tympanometry tests how well your middle ear functions. It does so by assessing your eardrum’s condition and ability to move.
The test involves placing a small device called a tympanometer inside the ear canal. It pushes air into the ear, prompting the eardrum to move back and forth. A machine then records the movements on charts known as tympanograms.
The resulting graphs show whether the ear has fluid or wax accumulation. They can also reveal eardrum damage, such as holes or tears.
Moreover, tympanometry helps diagnose otitis media, also called middle ear infections. Such ear problems can affect people of any age, but they’re more common in children. Experts estimate it afflicts up to 80% of kids at least once in their lifetime.
For that reason, tympanometry is one of the most often used forms of adult and kids’ hearing tests.
5. Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Test
The ABR tests the inner ear (also called the cochlea) and the brain’s hearing pathways. Ear specialists also sometimes call it auditory evoked potential (AEP).
You have to wear earphones and have electrodes placed on your head during an ABR test. Electrodes are small devices that attach to the skin and connect to a computer. They monitor and record brain wave activity in response to sounds it hears.
The ABR exam helps determine if you have sensorineural hearing loss. Many doctors also use it to screen newborns for hearing impairment.
6. Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) Test
Otoacoustic emissions are sounds given off by the inner ear when it responds to sounds. The OAE test measures those almost inaudible sounds.
During an OAE test, an ear specialist places a probe (a small earphone) inside the ear. It sends sounds to the ear and measures the OAE produced by the cochlea.
If you can hear properly, the test should register that your inner ear produces OAEs. However, if it doesn’t generate sounds, you may have hearing loss exceeding 25 to 30 decibels (dB).
7. Middle Ear Muscle Reflex (MMR)
Acoustic reflex refers to how the stapedius, a tiny muscle in the ear, tightens in response to loud noises. MMR, also called acoustic reflex measures, tests the degree of that response.
An ear specialist begins an MMR test by putting a soft rubber tip inside your ear. The device allows a series of loud sounds to pass. A machine then records the results and shows if the sounds triggered an acoustic reflex.
If your stapedius doesn’t react at all, it may indicate that you have severe hearing loss.
Take These Types of Hearing Tests Now
Always remember that hearing loss becomes more pronounced with age. For instance, one-third of adults 61 to 70 years and 80% of adults over 85 have it.
That’s why it’s imperative to undergo the best types of hearing tests as you age. Do the same if your job exposes you to a lot of noise. That way, your ear doctor can check for and treat your potential hearing loss before it worsens.
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