Audiometry

The audiometry is a test performed to evaluate the ability of the ear to receive and perceive sounds in the environment. For this, it is important to know and remember that there are different types of sounds that are classified in intensity (depending on the volume of the sound and the strength it presents) and tone (the speed at which the sound waves that our ear perceives are mobilized. ). Audiometry allows us to have a broader evaluation of how the human body’s auditory system works and tells us if it has any type of problem or affectation at the time of transmitting sounds.

The sensory organs of the human body are responsible for establishing a means of contact with the outside world. One of the most important is hearing , necessary to maintain proper communication , for language development and to function properly within society. Hearing is a natural part of our body and occurs every time sound waves from the environment cause a stimulus to the nerves located in the inner ear . This simple and painless examination will give us the guidelines to follow in search of a possible treatment to improve the auditory system in an individual.

High and low frequencies

Our sense of hearing is not able to hear some sound waves in the environment. The ear captures sound frequencies between 20 to 20,000 hertz , which is known as the Audible Spectrum. A sound wave is established by its frequency and its amplitude. When we speak of frequency, we refer to the number of oscillations that occur in a given time and to determine this, the unit of measurement called Hertz (HZ) is used. Our ear has the ability to perceive frequencies ranging from 20 to 15000 Hz. Sounds can be classified as treble and bass. The frequencies of the tones classified in treble range between 2000 and 4000 Hz. The frequencies that have been classified in bass range from125 to 250 Hz . And finally, the tones classified as medium have a frequency between 500 and 1000 Hz.

How is the audiometry test done?

No advance preparation is needed. It does not cause discomfort or has any side effects. It can be done in two ways, the first, by means of voice stimuli generating pure sounds, which is known as verbal or tonal audiometry and reflects the degree and level of hearing of the patient. The second type of audiometry involves the use of the audiometer, a device responsible for producing sounds that travel through cables to a pair of headphones or a vibrating device. These are placed in the person’s ear to assess the patient’s response . During the exam, sounds are emitted that act on the ear producing sound sensations. So overallThese tests are carried out in metric audio booths, which are specially designed to eliminate and isolate noise from the environment.

Audiometry test for children

It is common to perform hearing tests in newborn children before they leave the hospital because if hearing loss or problems are suspected, the ideal is to diagnose it before the age of 3 years to develop their speech and language skills. A simple behavioral audiometry test (using sound stimuli with different frequency ranges), a sound field test with visual reinforcement, or audiometry can be performed.

Interpreting the results of an audiometry

To interpret the result, an audiogram is used that gives us a detailed explanation of the patient’s ability to listen. An audiometry indicates normal results when a person can hear sounds ranging from 250 to 8000 Hz. The audiogram consists of two parts, the vertical axiom (indicates the volume of the sound and is measured by means of decibel (dB) and the axiom horizontal(indicates the frequency or pitch of sounds and is measured in Hertz (Hz)). When the vertical axiom rises, it indicates that the person must raise the sound to be able to hear it. When the results are below 25 dB it reflects the presence of hearing loss. It is then necessary to assess the type of problem that the patient presents and study the probable ways and treatments to recover part of this hearing.