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.

Why It Is Done

Hearing tests may be done:

• To screen babies and young children for hearing problems that might interfere with their ability to learn, speak, or understand language. Many states in the United States require newborn hearing tests for all babies born in hospitals. Also, many health organizations and physicians' groups recommend routine screening. Talk to your doctor about whether your child has been or should be tested.
• To screen children and teens for hearing loss. Hearing should be checked with each well-child visit to a health professional. In children, normal hearing is important for proper language development. Some speech, behavior, and learning problems in children can be related to problems with hearing. For this reason, many schools routinely provide hearing tests when children first begin school. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a formal hearing test at ages 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18 years.
• As part of a routine physical examination. In general, unless hearing loss is suspected, only a simple whispered speech test is done during a routine physical examination.
• To evaluate possible hearing loss in anyone who has noticed a persistent hearing problem in one or both ears or has had difficulty understanding words in conversation.
• To screen for hearing problems in older adults. Hearing loss in older adults is often mistaken for diminished mental capacity (for instance, if the person does not seem to listen or respond to conversation).
• To screen for hearing loss in people who are repeatedly exposed to loud noises or who are taking certain antibiotics, such as gentamicin.
• To determine the type and amount of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, or both). In conductive hearing loss, the movement of sound (conduction) is blocked or does not pass into the inner ear. In sensorineural hearing loss, sound reaches the inner ear, but a problem in the nerves of the ear, or, rarely, the brain itself prevents proper hearing.