What happens during a hearing test?Your hearing test may be done by a primary health care provider or one of the following types of providers:An audiologist, a health care provider who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing hearing lossAn otolaryngologist (ENT), a doctor specializing in treating diseases and conditions of the ears, nose, and throat.There are several types of hearing tests. Most tests check for your response to tones or words delivered at different pitches, volumes, and/or noise environments. These are called sound tests. Common sound tests include:Acoustic Reflex Measures, also called middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR), test how well the ear responds to loud sounds. In normal hearing, a tiny muscle inside the ear tightens when you hear loud noises. This is called the acoustic reflex. It happens without you knowing it. During the test:The audiologist or other provider will place a soft rubber tip inside the ear.A series of loud sounds will be sent through the tips and recorded onto a machine.The machine will show when or if the sound has triggered a reflex.If hearing loss is bad, the sound may have to be very loud to trigger a reflex, or it may not trigger the reflex at all.Pure-tone test, also known as audiometry. During this test:You will put on headphones.A series of tones will be sent to your headphones.The audiologist or other provider will change the pitch and loudness of the tones at different points during the test. At some points, the tones may be barely audible.The provider will ask you to respond whenever you hear the tones. Your response may be to raise your hand or press a button.The test helps find the quietest sounds you can hear at different pitches.Tuning fork tests. A tuning fork is a two-pronged metal device that makes a tone when it vibrates. During the test:The audiologist or other provider will place the tuning fork behind your ear or on top of your head.The provider will hit the fork so that it makes a tone.You'll be asked to tell the provider whenever you hear the tone at different volumes, or if you heard the sound in your left ear, right ear, or both equally.Depending on where the fork is placed and how you respond, the test can show if there is hearing loss in one or both ears. It can also show which type of hearing loss you have (conductive or sensorineural).Speech and word recognition tests can show how well you can hear spoken language. During the test:You will put on headphones.The audiologist will talk to you through your headphones, and ask you to repeat a series of simple words, spoken at different volumes.The provider will record the softest speech you are able to hear.Some of the testing may be done in a noisy environment, because many people with hearing loss have trouble understanding speech in loud places.Another type test, called tympanometry, checks for how well your eardrum moves.During a tympanometry test:The audiologist or other provider will place a small device inside the ear canal.The device will push air into the ear, making the eardrum move back and forth.A machine records the movement on graphs called tympanograms.The test helps find out if there is an ear infection or other problems such as fluid or wax buildup, or a hole or tear in the eardrum.
