Audiometry

Hearing examination (Dresden 1975)

Hearing care professional performing a hearing test on a (hard of hearing) man, 2015

With audiometric methods are referred to, measure the characteristics and parameters of hearing. They are used to diagnose hearing performance and diseases of the hearing organs and to research these organs. Audiometry is a branch of audiology and therefore ear, nose and throat medicine . Audiometry also makes use of certain neurological techniques and often provides important information for them.

A distinction is made between subjective and objective audiometric methods. The former require the assistance of the person whose hearing is to be examined. The latter can do without this assistance.

Subjective process

• Tuning fork tests:
  • Weber test
  • Rinne test
  • Gellé experiment
  • Bing test
  • Schwabach test
• Listening range test (language distance test) for colloquial and whispered language
• Tone audiogram
• Discomfort threshold audiogram
• Speech audiometry
• Békésy audiometry
• Carhart test (threshold tone decay test)
• Supra-threshold audiometry:
  • Fowler test
  • Lüscher test
  • SISI test
• Noise audiometry according to Langenbeck
• Simulation and aggravation tests:
  • Stenger test
  • Lombard attempt
  • Lee test (speech delay test )
• Free field audiometry :
  • Döring test
  • Oldenburg sentence test

Objective procedures

• Impedance measurement
  • Tympanometry
  • Stapedius reflex threshold measurement
• Measurement of otoacoustic emissions ( OAE )
  • TEOAE measurement (transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions)
  • DPOAE measurement (distortion-produced otoacoustic emissions)
• Electrical reaction audiometry. Brainstem audiometry
  • ECochG (electrocochleography)
  • FAEP measurement (early acoustic evoked potentials, brain stem audiometry; see also general: evoked potentials )
  • Measurement of stationary auditory evoked potentials

Signs of a need for audiometry

There are several signs that can help indicate the need for a hearing examination. These can be recognized by outsiders as well as those affected themselves. This includes the following situations in particular:

• the person concerned has recently increased the volume of the television or radio while the background noise has otherwise remained the same
• Quiet conversations can not be fully recorded acoustically
• conversations can no longer be followed in loud ambient noises
• Male voices are better understood than female voices
• Interlocutors are often (more) asked to repeat their sentence

If any of these apply, a medical examination is recommended so that treatment can be given.

See also

• Hearing care professional

Web links

• Detect hearing disorders early - kindergesundheit-info.de: independent information service of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA)