Testing your hearing The tools and measurements we use

Transcription

1 Testing your hearing The tools and measurements we use

2 At The Hearing Clinic we believe in working with you to help you hear at your best.

3 B A C In this brochure we explain about the tests and tools we use to check your hearing and how your hearing technology is working. We believe that when you understand what we re doing and why, you ll feel more in control of your hearing and will get the most out of your visits to the clinic.

4 Otoacoustic emissions test People with normal hearing produce OAEs, but those with hearing loss greater than decibels do not produce them.

5 B A C Otoacoustic emissions test Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are sounds given off by the inner ear when it is stimulated by an external sound. When sound stimulates the healthy inner ear then tiny structures called outer hair cells vibrate. The vibration produces a nearly inaudible sound that echoes back into the ear canal and can be measured with a small probe inserted into the ear canal. People with normal hearing produce OAEs, but those with hearing loss greater than decibels do not produce them. The OAE test can be performed on people of all ages in fact, it s often part of a newborn hearing screening programme. The test detects damage to the inner ear and can help determine if you have permanent hearing loss.

6 Video otoscopy Close examination of the ear canal and eardrum is an important part of your hearing assessment. This is done using a video otoscope a tiny fibre optic camera to see the condition of your outer ear, ear canal and eardrum. It enables us to see if you have any wax build up, infections, perforations of the eardrum or any other unusual conditions within the canal and outer ear. The high definition imaging can be stored and shared, if required, with other healthcare professionals, including your GP or ENT specialist.

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8 Tympanometry is used to test the health of the middle ear and is an important part of your hearing test.

9 B A C Tympanometry The middle ear is made up of the eardrum, an air-filled space behind the eardrum, plus three tiny bones that vibrate when sound reaches the eardrum. Tympanometry is used to test the health of the middle ear and is an important part of your hearing test. Used alongside video otoscopy and puretone audiometry, it helps to diagnose problems including glue ear, perforated eardrums, or fusing or disarticulation of the little middle ear bones. Tympanometry can also be used to check if grommets are working. This is an entirely painless test and only takes around five seconds to complete. It is safe to do on all ages, including newborn babies. test middle ear

10 Puretone audiometry (PTA)

11 B A C PTA is the key hearing test used to identify your hearing threshold levels the softest sounds that the inner ear can detect. The PTA results will show whether you have a hearing loss, including the type and degree of loss in each ear. Each ear is tested separately, with soft tones played through headphones in a soundproof booth. When you hear the tone, you press a button. PTA can be carried out on adults and children over the age of five. Younger children play a game instead of pressing the button, placing a ball in a bucket or a peg in a board when they hear the tone. PTA only measures the baseline of hearing, rather than sound localisation and speech recognition. We carry out other tests for assessing speech perception and speech in noise performance. Each ear is tested separately, with soft tones played through headphones in a soundproof booth. When you hear the tone, you press a button.

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14 We also use these tests to measure how well your hearing technology is performing.

15 B A C AB Word Lists, QuickSIN and BKB Sentences These tests all use words, sentences and speech-in-noise to test how your hearing brain processes more complex auditory information. Some adults and children may have normal hearing thresholds as measured by the standard PTA hearing test, but may have problems with following speech in the classroom or in restaurants. These tests will pick that up.

16 Real ear measurements

17 B A C Real ear measurements (REMS) are also known as in situ or probe microphone measurements. They are live recordings of the performance of a hearing technology in the ear canal. REMS are used to verify that your hearing technology is providing effective and safe amplification. They enable us to see how well the technology is correcting your hearing loss in real time. Because it is a live recording, measurement of the sound level in the ear canal allows the clinician to make informed judgements on the audibility of sound in the ear and the effectiveness of hearing aid treatment. We routinely do REMS on all of our hearing technology fittings to ensure each of our clients receives a truly bespoke sound. Is your hearing technology providing effective and safe amplification?

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19 B A C Test box measurements Hearing aid test box (coupler) measurements A hearing aid test box is a small, sound-treated enclosure that allows accurate, repeatable measurements to be made of a hearing aid. We can test how well the directional microphones are working, we can also look at the noise reduction capabilities and feedback management of the hearing aid technology. Real-ear-to-coupler difference (RECD) measurements Young children usually can t sit still and quietly long enough for REMS to be completed. For this age group we use RECD measurement to programme hearing technology. In this procedure, a sound is measured in the child s ear with the hearing technology in place. This measurement is then converted in such a way that the hearing technology can be programmed in the hearing aid test box in a special coupler. The hearing technology can then be adjusted in the hearing aid test box to achieve the best possible programming to ensure that the child hears well enough for good speech and language development. A sound is measured in the child s ear with the hearing technology in place.

20 Ear cleansing

21 B A C Endoscopic microsuction Wax build up can cause a host of problems but can be easily, safely and precisely removed using endoscopic microsuction. A small endoscope is placed inside the ear to illuminate the area and to project a high resolution video onto an ipod. Then a small suction nozzle is inserted into the canal to gently remove the wax.

22 Did you know? A surprising number of mammals produce ear wax, including whales. You ve got a life to live I believe you ve got a life to live and it s easier to live that life if you can communicate and hear properly. So if you have hearing loss don t be afraid to get it sorted out. Mike

23 Rediscover life as it should be Book your FREE 20 minute hearing health check. We re in Hitchin and Radlett, so there s sure to be a clinic near you. We look forward to meeting you and helping you to hear at your best. Shephard and Akay 5-7 Churchyard Hitchin, SG5 1HR The Hearing Clinic P Hitchin t: Hitchin Radlett Opticians 353 Watling Street Radlett, WD7 7LB The Hearing Clinic Radlett t: Radlett P

24 Your journey to brighter hearing Highly Commended Highly Commended Highly Commended Copyright 2018 The Hearing Clinic I Brighter Hearing is a registered trademark TM. All Rights Reserved.