9 Hearing test for detection of ear disorders

A hearing test is a test that is done when you have ear disease, including hearing loss or feel your hearing has been damaged. This examination is performed by an audiologist to test your hearing and measure the severity of the hearing loss. For more details, see the following explanation.

Who needs a hearing test?

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, states that babies are required to undergo a hearing examination no later than one month of age. If the baby does not pass the test, it is recommended that the baby have a complete hearing test by the age of three months.

Infants and children are recommended to have a hearing test if:

• You feel your baby is having hearing loss
• Have a hearing loss that occurs after the baby and develops slowly.
• Does not pass a hearing check at the beginning of birth, that is, before turning one month of age

Meanwhile, adults who experience the following symptoms are also advised to undergo a hearing test:

• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• The other person thinks you are speaking too loudly
• You often ask the other person to repeat what he said
• You have trouble listening to conversations, especially when the background is noisy
• Other people are annoyed that you turn the television at too high a volume

A hearing test is an easy and painless test. In fact, babies can fall asleep while being examined. This test also only takes a few minutes.

What are the types of hearing tests?

There are different types of hearing tests that are done according to your condition and age. Your doctor will determine which tests are right for you.

Types of hearing tests include:

1. Pure tone audiometry

In a pure tone audiometric examination, a machine (audiometer) will produce a pure tone that is transmitted to your ear. You will then be asked to provide a signal, for example by pressing a button or pointing when you can hear the pure tone.

In this hearing test, you will be given stimulation through the air and the mastoid bone (the bone that is located behind the ear). When stimulation is given through the air, your external auditory pathway as well as your inner ear will be measured. Meanwhile, if stimulation is given through the bones, hearing in the inner ear will be measured.

2. Speech Perception Test

This hearing test is similar to pure tone audiometry, but you hear speech, not tone or voice. Speech perception test is a check to check how clearly you can hear speech.

In this test, you are asked to repeat the words that are spoken to you. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) usually begins with hearing loss at higher frequencies, so that certain speech sounds (such as 'p', 'f', and 't') sound very similar.

3. Tympanometry

This test checks the condition of the middle ear which consists of the eardrum and three small bones that connect the eardrum to the inner ear. A small instrument will be placed in your ear to check the fluid behind the eardrum.

Tympanometry does not actually include a hearing test. This check is done to see if the eardrum can function normally.

4. Stapedial reflex and reflex damage

This test is done to check the ability of the auditory nerve to send auditory signals to the brain. If there is blockage along this route, it means that you will need further medical consultation.

5. Test the tuning fork

The tuning fork test usually consists of a combination of the Weber, Rinne, and Schwabach tests. This hearing test is performed to detect unilateral (in one ear) conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Apart from that, the tuning fork test will also detect the location and nature of the hearing loss.

6. Evaluate the brainstem response (brainstem evoke response evaluation)

Brainstem evoke response evaluation (BERA) measures the electrical nerves that carry sound from the inner ear to the brain. Evaluation of the brainstem response will later see if there is an obstruction to the nerve.

Electrodes will be placed in the ear canal and over your head. You will then hear a click sound. After that, the health care professional can determine if there is a disorder blocking sound from the nerves to the brain.

7. Threshold equalizing noise (TEN) test

This hearing test checks if any part of your ear you are unable to respond to sound stimuli. If present, this part of the ear is called the "dead zone" or "Dead zone".

Your audiologist will use the information from this test to determine the right hearing aid for your condition.

8. Test sentences in noise

Sentence-in-noise (SIN) test or a sentence in noise test is conducted to measure your ability to understand speech in a noisy environment. The results will be compared with your hearing ability in a quiet environment.

9. Autoacoustic emissions

This test is done to check the inner ear's response to sound. The response is measured by placing a very sensitive microphone in the ear canal. The signal obtained from the microphone will then be analyzed.

If you are concerned about side effects, the hearing test has been classified as safe and minimal side effects so far. Try to consult a doctor to find out all the risks and benefits of the procedure that you will undergo.