What is Pure-Tone Testing?

If you think that you are experiencing hearing loss, the logical thing to do would be to call an audiologist and book an appointment. From there, they will be able to determine what the next steps are, what you need to do and what tests need to be performed. Pure-tone testing is an incredibly common evaluation used to help your audiologist better understand your pitch and frequency ranges. 

What is pure-tone testing?

Also known as air conduction testing, pure-tone testing is there to check the level of hearing loss that someone might be experiencing. The goal is to determine the faintest tones a person can hear at varying frequencies or pitches. Your audiologist will select a range of pitches for you to try and hear from low to high, and you will respond when you can hear the tone. It’s a straightforward test, is completely painless and doesn’t take that long to complete. 

What happens during a pure-tone test?

When you get to your audiologist’s office, you will be talked through the entire process. You will be asked to put on headphones to listen to the sounds that are going to be played. However, sometimes it is the case that a child will refuse to wear the headphones for the test or something along these lines, which means that a speaker will be used. Or, sometimes children perform better when they take this test through play, but it depends on the child and the audiologist.

Whichever way it ends up happening, you will hear a range of tones at varying pitches. This determines if there are any pitches or frequencies that you can’t hear, which helps to diagnose hearing loss. When you hear the sound, you need to raise your finger so the audiologist knows that you can hear the tone. After the test is done, your audiologist will discuss their findings with you and the next steps.

Why is pure-tone testing performed?

Pure-tone testing is performed to discover how severe if at all, someone is experiencing hearing loss. It’s important to understand what is happening to be able to determine if there is any kind of treatment needed, such as hearing aids. You might remember this kind of test from the days where you were in school. Some of the conditions that hearing loss can result from are as follows:

• Acoustic neuroma
• Injury to the ear
• Chronic ear infections
• Age-related conditions
• Ruptured eardrum
• Persistent exposure to loud noises

We hope that you now have a better understanding of what pure-tone testing is and what happens during the evaluation process. If you think you need an appointment, get in touch with an audiologist today to get to the bottom of your symptoms. The sooner you catch an issue, the sooner it can be treated.