Hearing Tests

Acoustic Reflex Test, Audiometry, Auditory Brainstem Evoked Potential (ABEP) Test, Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Test, Pure Tone Audiometry, Rinne Test, Schwabach Test, Tuning Fork Test, Weber Test, Whispered Speech Test

Test Overview

A hearing (audiometric) test is part of an ear examination that evaluates a person's ability to hear by measuring the ability of sound to reach the brain.

Sounds are actually vibrations of different frequencies and intensities in the air around us. Air in the ear canals and bones in the ears and skull help these vibrations travel from the ear to the brain, where you "hear" them. Hearing tests check for hearing loss, identify how severe it is, and determine what is causing it. Hearing tests help determine what kind of hearing loss you have by measuring your ability to hear sounds that reach the inner ear through the ear canal (air-conducted sounds) and sounds transmitted through bones (bone-conducted sounds).

Most hearing tests ask you to respond to a series of tones or words, but there are some hearing tests that do not require a response.

	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated April 30, 2007
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Donald R. Mintz, MD - Otolaryngology Charles M. Myer, III, MD - Otolaryngology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.