Audiometry

How speech audiometry is performed

Speech audiometry is a hearing test that takes place in a quiet room. The patient listens to the words through headphones or speakers and repeats them into a microphone. Using an attenuator, the doctor changes the volume of the sound and finds the quietest level that the patient can still hear. Record the results, indicating the strength of the sound and the percentage of correct answers.

The procedure lasts 1.5 hours. The results describe 3 measures: hearing threshold (when the patient hears 50% of the words), maximum intelligibility (when the patient understands 90% of the words) and discrimination level, which shows how the patient distinguishes words at different volumes.

Features of tone and threshold audiometry

During the procedures, an audiometer and headphones are used. To perform pure pure audiometry, a bone vibrator and microphone are also required. The audiometer reproduces sounds of different volumes and pitches (from 125 to 8000 Hz). The purpose of the study is to find the volume that causes discomfort.

A patient in a soundproofed room listens to sounds through headphones. If he hears, he presses a special button. If he does not hear, the doctor makes the sound louder until the person hears. This determines the lowest and highest volume that the patient hears. The results are recorded on an audiogram.

Features of computer audiometry

The study does not require active action from the patient, so it is suitable for people who cannot understand what is wanted from them. The procedure is also performed on paralyzed patients and young children.

Pay attention! To ensure patient peace of mind and obtain accurate results, doctors sometimes use sedatives. The procedure is performed in a state of sleep or light sedation.

Before the diagnosis, electrodes are placed on the patient's head, which are connected to a computer. He is also put on headphones, through which sounds of different tones and volumes are played. The computer analyzes how the brain responds to these sounds and records the results in a graph. Using it, the doctor determines whether there are hearing problems and which part of the brain is damaged.

How is audiometry performed in children?

Testing a child's hearing is a responsible task. Children may not notice the problem and may not report it. In addition, keeping their attention and making them concentrate during the diagnosis is very difficult.

For the smallest (even newborns), doctors use special methods. At the first examination, which is carried out on days 3-4 of life, the doctor examines the ears from the outside. Then tympanometry is performed - a diagnostic method in which the middle ear and eardrum are checked with a probe. It allows you to detect inflammation, fluid accumulation, perforation and other disorders. The next important step is to check the otoacoustic emissions. The procedure is aimed at causing a response in the ear to sound. Using it, the doctor determines the problem and the method of correction.

For children from 3 to 5 years old, audiometry turns into a game. The child hears a sound in the headphones and must do something in response, for example, raise his hand. This is how doctors test the hearing of each ear separately.

Schoolchildren are given the same research as adults. But even here it is important to find an approach so that the child does not get tired and lose interest.

Why is audiometry performed during sleep in children

When it comes to examining hearing in young children, doctors face certain difficulties. Unlike adults, children cannot follow instructions or answer questions, making standard hearing testing methods unsuitable. This is where a method known as sleep audiometry comes to the rescue. This procedure has been widely used since 1974 and has shown to be effective in determining the hearing status of newborns and children.

Why is sleep necessary? During the examination, electrical impulses from the ear to the brain are recorded using electrodes attached to the child's skin. These signals are very weak and in order to detect them, it is necessary to minimize all possible noise and interference. Sleep significantly reduces brain activity, reducing eye and muscle movement, which makes it easier to register auditory signals.

Audiometry for tinnitus and head noise can also be performed during sleep. For older children, starting from 7-10 years old, it is possible to conduct the study without sleep, subject to complete rest and relaxation. However, this is not always feasible, especially if the child has certain diseases.

Sensorineural hearing loss audiometry and impedance audiometry can also be performed during sleep to obtain the most accurate results in children. These methods help doctors study the baby's hearing condition in detail and determine the best ways to correct or treat it.

Parents who need audiometry for children in Moscow should contact the K+31 clinic. We have everything you need to perform computer audiometry. To find out the price of the study, call us at the phone number listed on the website.

How to understand the results

Audiometry results are recorded in the form of an audiogram graph. They represent two axes:

• For volume level (in decibels, dB)
• For sound frequency (in hertz, Hz)

There are also two lines on the graph - one for each ear. If you see two curves - one solid, the other dotted, this means that different types of hearing were tested: air and bone conduction.

What the curves indicate:

• Conductive hearing loss. If there is a large distance between the solid and dotted lines, this indicates problems with sound transmission through the outer ear, eardrum or middle ear bones
• Sensorineural hearing loss. When both lines are close but go down, this indicates damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve
• Mixed hearing loss. The presence of both signs indicates a combination of problems with the perception and conduction of sound

About 30% of the world's inhabitants experience various forms of hearing loss. The high-risk group includes not only people working in noisy metallurgical plants, but also musicians, construction site workers, pilots, military personnel, and divers.

Numbers and values on the audiogram:

• Decibels (dB): A unit of measurement for loudness. For example, a normal conversation has a volume of about 60 dB
• Hertz (Hz): The frequency of sound. Determines whether the patient hears a high or low sound

Audiometry typically covers the frequency range from 20 to 8000 Hz, which corresponds to the range of human speech.

Deciphering the final results:

• Normal hearing. If the curves lie in the range from 0 to 25 dB at all frequencies
• 1 degree of hearing loss. Most points are within 25-40 dB
• Deafness. If the readings exceed 90 dB

Since the audiogram contains a lot of information, interpretation of the results should be entrusted to a qualified doctor. He will explain in detail at what frequencies your hearing is impaired, and suggest an effective treatment method.