Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation
If you or a loved one has been referred for a comprehensive hearing evaluation, it means that hearing loss needs to be ruled out or further examined. Generally, for those who did not pass an initial hearing screening. The evaluation will display if hearing loss is present, the severity of the hearing loss and possible insight as to the causes of the hearing loss.
The tests taken during the evaluation will depend on the patient's age, medical history and current level of loss. A comprehensive hearing evaluation includes pure-tone testing, bone-conduction testing and speech testing.
Pure Tone Air and Bone Conduction Testing
Pure-tone air conduction testing determines the softest tones that a person can hear at different frequencies, both high and low. Bone conduction testing is similar to pure-tone air conduction testing with similar equipment that help our Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialists determine if the hearing loss is originating from the outer/middle or inner ear.
Speech Reception Threshold Testing
A speech reception threshold (SRT) test is often used with older children and adults to confirm the results of a pure-tone test. This test determines the lowest level at which the patient can recognize words or speech stimuli.
Additional Testing options from Genstler Hearing Center:
After your conduction and speech testing, our licensed Hearing Instrument specialists may also perform otoscopy (examining the ear canal) and tympanometry (testing of the middle ear) to determine the health of the ear canal and the middle ear.
Certain specialized tests (for infants, young children and adults with development and cognitive impairments) allow the Hearing Instrument specialists to test the auditory system when the patient is not able to actively participate in the tests or evaluation.
These tests may include: Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Auditory Steady-state response (ASSR) testing as well as Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screening.