Hearing Tests

Audiometry

The Center for ENT has state-of-the-art technology to test hearing including audiometry for children and adults. We have equipment that allows us to test a broad range of frequencies heard by the human ear at various levels of sound pressures. A graph or audiogram is then created which plots your hearing. The audiogram is used to characterize the type of hearing as well. When sound enters the ear, it must be conducted through the ear canal, eardrum and ear bones (ossicles). The sound then enters the cochlea, which converts the sound wave into a sensory-neural signal, which can be interpreted by the brain. The audiogram can determine the level of conductive and sensory-neural hearing loss. The audiometer also has the capability of testing hearing performance to speech. The ability to hear a whisper (Speech Reception Threshold) as well as the ability to hear individual words (Speech Recognition Scores) can be measured. We also perform otoacoustic emissions testing that allows us to test the health of the hearing mechanism effortlessly.

The Center has three soundproof audiology booths to test hearing. This is a critical aspect of hearing testing which eliminates any external noises, which may degrade the quality of the test. These audiology booths are also used to test hearing in children by using techniques such as Behavioral Audiometry and Play Audiometry.

Tympanometry

The tympanic membrane (eardrum) can also be evaluated by testing its compliance to external pressure. This test is called Tympanometry or Immittance "Bridge" testing. It allows us to test for abnormalities in middle ear pressure, perforations in the membrane or fluid in the middle ear.