What are the Most Common Hearing Tests?

When you have a hearing test, you will most likely undergo a series of tests. All of the tests together can help to build a complete picture of your hearing health. Depending on the audiologist you choose, you might experience various tests. Your audiologist most likely won't carry out all possible tests, although they might decide that further tests are needed after initial testing. Some types of hearing tests are more common than others, and you will be more likely to experience them if you make an appointment with an audiologist to get your hearing tested.

Here are some of the most common hearing tests that you are likely to come across.

Otoscopy examination

The first test that an audiologist might carry out is an examination with an otoscope. This is a tool that allows the audiologist to take a close look at your ears and check for any problems that might be affecting your hearing or the health of your ears. This could include wax buildup, foreign objects, ear infections, or ruptured eardrums.

Pure tone testing

Pure tone testing uses air conduction to test the range of your hearing. The audiologist will give you a set of headphones to wear. They will play sounds into the headphones at different pitches and volumes, and they will ask you to either press a button or raise your hand each time you hear one of the sounds. The results will be plotted on a graph called an audiogram, which will show your range of hearing individually for your right and left ears.

Bone conduction testing

Bone conduction testing is similar to pure tone testing. However, instead of using a pair of headphones, it involves a device that is placed on the bone behind your ear. It will send small vibrations through the bone to your ear to measure how your inner ear reacts. This can help to provide a more accurate picture of your hearing.

Speech testing

As well as testing how well you can hear pure tones, the audiologist might also test how well you can understand speech. This is useful because understanding what people are saying when there is background noise can become difficult when you start to lose your hearing. The testing might take place in a quiet environment or a noisy, but controlled, environment to test what level of speech you can recognize.

Tympanometry

Tympanometry is used to test the function of your eardrum and middle ear. It can check if there is a buildup of fluid or wax in your ears, and it can even identify if there are other obstructions or blockages, including tumors. Pressure is introduced into the ear to observe how the eardrum moves. A wider range of tests might be included with tympanometry to test other parts of the middle ear. This can include acoustic reflex and static acoustic testing.

Your audiologist might carry out any of these tests, as well as some other tests that are less common. You can find out which tests you are likely to experience by checking their website or getting in touch to ask.