Asking someone to repeat something or to explain something to you repeatedly during a discussion may be a source of embarrassment. This inability to hear and comprehend conversations in loud settings like restaurants or social gatherings is not “normal.”
This is a red flag indicating you are unable to understand conversational discourse because you lack the subtleties of sound and voice clarity. This typically starts in the upper frequencies where specific words’ clarity is attributed.
If you suspect that you are experiencing changes in your hearing and are having a hard time picking up sounds in certain listening situations, it’s best to see an audiologist and get a hearing test.
Types of Hearing Tests
Pure tone audiometry
A pure tone test involves listening to the “beep” noises that an audiologist will play while seated in a soundproof area wearing specialized headphones.
Typically, testing will begin with the right ear first, moving on to the left after that. The noises will range in pitch from low-pitched (like humming) to high-pitched (like birds chirping). There will be instructions given and your responses will help determine which areas of sound you hear well and which areas of sound you don’t hear well.
In most cases, pure tone audiometry is the first and one of the most crucial hearing tests.
Speech audiometry
A speech audiometry test is a great tool to gauge how well you are interpreting words. Speech audiometry is done while wearing headphones and sitting in a soundproof space.
Speech audiometry helps to determine how each ear interprets speech in an ideal listening environment. It also helps audiologists to diagnose certain conditions that may be contributing to hearing loss. Finally, speech audiometry helps audiologists to predict how well you will perform with hearing aids.
Speech-in-noise testing is a special type of speech audiometry test that shows us how well you can understand speech in the presence of background noise. This test is important because it gives us a better understanding of your auditory processing system and helps us to choose the best treatment options for you.
Bone conduction testing
Bone conduction testing is a method of measuring the ability of a person to hear sounds that travel through the bones of the skull. This type of hearing is called bone conduction hearing and is different from air conduction hearing which involves sound waves traveling through the ear canal to the eardrum.
Bone conduction testing is typically done using a small device placed on the skin behind the ear that vibrates, sending sound waves through the skull to the inner ear. The test results can help to determine where, along the auditory pathway, the hearing loss is coming from.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), also known as Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER), is a diagnostic test used in audiology and neurology to assess the electrical activity of the auditory nerve and the brainstem in response to sound stimuli.
During an ABR test, a series of electrodes are placed on the patient’s scalp and earlobes, and earphones are used to deliver brief clicks or tone bursts to one or both ears. The electrodes detect and record the electrical responses generated by the auditory system in the brainstem as it processes these auditory stimuli. The responses are then displayed on a computer screen as a series of waveforms.
ABR testing can help identify hearing loss, assess the integrity of the auditory pathway, and diagnose neurological conditions affecting the auditory system. It is often used in newborn hearing screenings, as it provides an objective and non-invasive way to evaluate auditory function, especially in patients who cannot provide reliable behavioral responses, such as infants and individuals with developmental disabilities.
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs)
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) are faint sounds that the inner ear, particularly the cochlea, produces in response to incoming sound waves. These emissions can be detected using a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal. OAE testing is commonly used in audiology to assess the health and function of the cochlea.
OAE testing is often used in newborn hearing screenings and as part of hearing assessments in patients of all ages. The absence or reduction of OAEs can be indicative of hearing loss or certain ear disorders. OAEs provide a non-invasive and objective method for evaluating the function of the inner ear, making them a valuable tool in audiological diagnostics.
Hearing Tests in Littleton, CO
The problem with hearing loss is that it typically develops gradually over time, making it appear less severe until you suddenly realize you might be suffering from it.
Diagnosing hearing loss in the early stages can help prevent complications and may help save you from the fear of missing out on important conversations.
Columbine Hearing Care offers hearing tests in Littleton, CO, and nearby areas.
Contact us today to book an appointment!