Hearing Tests

Have you noticed signs of hearing loss in yourself or a loved one?  If so, we recommend you schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Audiologists. During your consultation, we will perform a comprehensive hearing examination to determine your current hearing abilities.  Hearing testing is conducted in a noise-controlled sound booth, and is completely non-invasive and painless.

Pure Tone Audiometry

Pure tone audiometry is one type of hearing test that determines the presence of a hearing loss. You will be seated in the sound booth and will be asked to put on headphones. During this test, your audiologist will play a series of tones at different pitches and ou will be asked to indicate each time you hear the tone. This test usually takes 20 minutes.

Speech Audiometry

The speech audiometry test consists of two parts and will indicate to your audiologist your speech recognition abilities – your ability to hear words and how clearly you are able to understand words.

In the first part of the speech audiometry test, your audiologist will say words are different volumes and ask you to repeat them. This determines your Speech Reception Threshold – the volume at which you were able to hear and repeat words.

In the second part of the test, you will hear a series of words and will be asked to repeat these. This test helps to determine your speech recognition ability (without the element of volume).

This part of the hearing evaluation lasts about 5 to 10 minutes. The score is measured in a percentage.

Auditory Brainstem Response

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) assesses the function of your auditory neural pathway. It is commonly used for infants and small children, who are unable to take directives and repeat speech. During the ABR, electrodes are placed on the forehead and ears. Your audiologist will play a series of recordings and will measure the activity in your neural pathway. You will be asked to either sit or lie quietly in the sound booth during this test. It usually lasts around an hour.

Tympanometry

Tympanometry assess the function of your eardrum, your middle ear function, and your Eustachian tube function. It will determine the pressure of your middle ear and tube that connects from your middle ear to your throat. This test could indicate whether there is fluid in this part of your ear, which could affect your hearing. An accumulation of inner ear fluid could indicate the existence of other issues, such as Meniere’s disease.

Audiogram

The results of your hearing evaluation appear in an audiogram, a visual representation of your hearing abilities. The audiogram records your hearing abilities by ear, as indicated from the tests, as well as the configuration of hearing loss if it is present.

The audiogram, as well as a conversation with your audiologist about your lifestyle and hearing needs, will help to determine whether a hearing loss is present. If there is hearing loss, your audiologist will work with you to determine next steps.

Hearing Aid Evaluation

If your hearing evaluation reveals a hearing loss is present, the next step is a hearing aid evaluation. Hearing aids are the most common treatment prescribed to address hearing loss. At Greentree Audiology, we offer an array of hearing aids that meet the diverse hearing needs and lifestyles of our clients. We will utilize the results of your hearing exams to determine the best hearing aid to meet your specific needs.

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