Family Physician: A Friend to Depend On

Posted on: 4 February 2021

For many, modern life means constant inundation with sounds that could potentially damage your hearing. The world has never been louder. The noises of traffic and construction assail people as they walk down the street. Many people's only defense is the earbuds that further assault their hearing with a steady stream of music. And when they get home, they may encounter even more noise from things like musical hobbies, television, and more.

With a constant stream of racket, hearing conservation needs to become an active choice. Yet amazingly, out of more than 120,000 surveyed, 30% of people reported that they had not received a hearing test within the past decade, according to Consumer Reports.

To conduct a hearing exam, an audiologist will utilize several tests to measure a person's ability to hear.

1. Pure Tone Audiometry — By utilizing air conduction, sounds are produced at differing pitches and volumes. When the patient hears a sound, they press a button. The test administrators chart the results on an audiogram.
2. Bone Conduction Testing — With this test, a vibrating conductor is placed behind the ear where the skin is thin, allowing vibrations to travel through the bones of the ear. The patient then responds when they feel the tonal vibrations.
3. Speech Testing — This test measures the threshold at which the patient can hear the human voice. To simulate real-world situations, the test is administered in both noisy and quiet environments.
4. Acoustic Reflex Testing — Involuntary muscle contractions in the ear are tested. Acoustic reflex testing diagnoses which part of the ear is responsible for the hearing loss.
5. Tympanometry — This checks the ear drum's response to changes in air pressure. This test is often used to detect holes in your eardrum and tumors of the ear.

Reviewing Your Audiogram

An audiogram shows the results of a hearing test. The x-axis of an audiogram displays the frequency of the sound, or pitch. The y-axis shows the volume of the sound, measured in decibels. If the marks are closer to the top of the graph, then that person can hear softer sounds and has better hearing. The letter O marks responses for the right ear, while the letter X marks responses from the left.

Hearing loss can take years to reach noticeable levels. By the time treatment is sought, however, it will be too late to reverse the damage. Inserting hearing aids into the ears will be the only option.

Take steps to conserve your hearing. Reach out to an audiologist for an audiogram consultation today.