Hear Sarasota Audiology
Hearing Tests
For many people, the last time they had a hearing test was in elementary school. A hearing test is simple and painless. This is not a test that you have to prepare for.
What To Expect During Your
Hearing Test Appointment
Detailed Case History
First, we will discuss your hearing health and compile a comprehensive medical health history.
Middle Ear Evaluation
The examination of the middle ear preceeds a test of the sensory cells through the acoustic mechanism of the middle ear ossicles. Evaluation of the middle ear ensures that the eardrum is vibrating properly, the signal chain is intact, and the eustachian tube and neural reflex are within normal limits.
Otoscopic Examination
We’ll examine your ears to ensure they are not blocked by anything such as wax or a growth in the ear canals.
Audiometry
Next, the patient undergoes audiometry in our state of the art double walled wheelchair accessible sound booth. This helps us understand your abilities and limitations in terms of your speech understanding and the health and function of the ear. The testing may also help to diagnose ear disease. A Doctor of Audiology, is highly efficient at diagnosing the presence of pathology and making appropriate referrals.
About The Hearing Test
The specific tests performed may vary based on the purpose of the evaluation and the equipment available, but here are some common components of the hearing test:
- Pure Tone Audiometry: This test determines your hearing thresholds at different frequencies (pitches). You are seated in a soundproof booth and wear headphones or earplugs. You will be presented with a series of tones at different volumes and asked to respond, usually by pressing a button or raising your hand when you hear the tone.
- Bone Conduction Testing: This test helps determine whether any hearing loss is conductive (related to the outer or middle ear) or sensorineural (related to the inner ear or auditory nerve). A bone conduction vibrator is placed behind your ear or on your forehead, transmitting sound vibrations directly to the inner ear bypassing the outer and middle ear.
- Speech Audiometry: This test assesses your ability to understand speech. You may be asked to repeat words or sentences presented at different volumes and in various background noise conditions.
- Tympanometry: This test evaluates the movement of the eardrum in response to changes in air pressure. A small probe is placed in the ear canal, and air pressure is varied while a tone is played. It helps determine if there are any problems with the middle ear system, such as fluid accumulation or issues with the eardrum or the tiny bones behind it.
- Otoacoustic Emissions: This testing involves the measurement of the sounds produced by the inner ear in response to auditory stimulation, allowing for the assessment of cochlear function and early detection of hearing impairments in both children and adults. It is a quick and non-invasive procedure commonly used in audiology clinics.
After the tests are completed, the results are analyzed, and the audiologist will discuss the findings with you and recommend appropriate interventions or further medical evaluation if necessary.
Our State-Of-The-Art Facilities
Hearing Testing Booth
Our newest hearing testing booth truly puts us on the cutting edge of audiology innovation. This double-walled soundbooth ensures maximum soundproofing from the outside which helps us to pinpoint your level of hearing loss without worry of outside interference. This booth is also acoustically treated inside to completely deaden the booth of outside noise for fitting of hearing devices. In addition to it’s quality soundproofing capabilities, it is also handicap accessible.
Not only can our audiologist, Dr. Massey, perform diagnostic and outcome measure testing, he can also perform in-ear measurements with tiny microphones placed deep in the ear canal. These measurements are known as real ear measures. Real Ear Measures are usually performed in a plain office or even a room with windows and lots of reverberation/echo like a room with high ceilings and lots of reflective surfaces. In fact, Real Ear Measurements are only performed by 1 in 5 providers who fit and program hearing aids. This is a shameful statistic as Real Ear Measures are the only way to get an objective understanding of what is happening sonically in the ear canal beyond the patient’s subjective report.
Acoustically Balanced Exam Room
With his background in sound engineering, Dr. Massey has also constructed a room in the office to be acoustically balanced with a series of diffusers, panels, and bass traps to eliminate interference from standing and reflective sound waves. Combined with the new testing booth, these two spaces elevate the outcome measures of the Hear Sarasota and maximize the benefits that patients receive from their hearing devices.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
18% of adults aged 20-69 have speech-frequency hearing loss in both ears from among those who report 5 or more years of exposure to very loud noise at work, as compared to 5.5 percent of adults with speech-frequency hearing loss in both ears who report no occupational noise exposure.
Hearing Loss Statistics in The U.S.
One in eight people in the United States (13 percent, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a link between hearing loss and age?
There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing loss: 18 percent of American adults 45-64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65-74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing loss.
Why should my hearing be tested in a sound booth?
A sound booth ensures soundproofing from outside sources allowing us to achieve an accuracy in our fitting and programmable not obtainable in a noisier environment. Our primary goal is to maximum the benefit our patients receive from their hearing devices.
Who is the typical person suffering from tinntus?
Of adults ages 65 and older in the United States, 12.3 percent of men and nearly 14 percent of women are affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus is identified more frequently in white individuals and the prevalence of tinnitus is almost twice as frequent in the South as in the Northeast.
How many adult could benefit from hearing aids?
Approximately 28.8 million adults in the United States alone could benefit from using hearing aids.
Are there different styles of hearing aids?
There are three basic styles of hearing aids. The styles differ by size, their placement on or inside the ear, and the degree to which they amplify sound.
From Our Clients
“Dr Massey spent quite a bit of time to make sure my hearing aids worked as best as they could He showed with patience and knowledge how to hear better through an app on my phone I would highly recommend him I’m hearing so much better because of a caring physician Kudos to dr Massey!”