What Bristol Audiologists Check After Sudden Hearing Loss

Although some degree of hearing change is assessed as part of an audiological assessment of hearing, sudden hearing loss is treated as an urgent medical problem and requires a different type of assessment to that used for problems that have developed gradually over time.

Otoscopy First

Otoscopy – an initial visual inspection of the ear canal with a speculum and good lighting. This gives the audiologist a first impression of the external auditory canal and eardrum, and allows for the identification of obvious obstruction by wax etc. or signs of infection.

Pure-Tone Audiometry

The sound is played through headphones and the individual presses a button for each tone that they can hear. The results from this test are plotted onto a graph and show which frequencies the individual can and cannot hear, and whether the hearing loss is conductive or sensorineural.

Bone-Conduction Testing

This type of test will determine if your inner ear is functioning correctly or if your hearing loss is due to some other cause outside of your inner ear. This test is done by placing a small vibrating device called a bone conduction transducer (also known as a BCT) behind your ear. See also Audiologist Bristol.

Tympanometry

Tympanometry measures the movement of the tympanic membrane (eardrum) as air pressure in the ear canal is varied. It can indicate the presence of fluid or a perforation in the eardrum.

Speech Discrimination

This test is different to pure tone testing as you hear speech instead of tones. The speech is presented at a set volume and you repeat back what you have heard. There can be a large difference between the individual’s speech recognition and their pure tone result especially if there is involvement of the nerves of the inner ear.

Medical Referral

When appropriate an urgent referral to a Doctor would be made as sudden sensorineural hearing loss is considered an urgent situation and is assessed using the clinical guidelines for sudden hearing loss assessment.

Assessing hearing loss quickly is crucial to treating hearing loss as soon as possible.