Audiometry is an auditory exam used to assess a person’s hearing ability in sound and word interpretation, enabling the detection of important hearing changes, especially in people working in very noisy environments.
There are two main types of audiometry: tonal and vocal. Tone allows you to know the frequency range the person can hear, while the voice focuses more on the ability to understand certain words.
- This test should be performed in a special cabin.
- Isolated from noise.
- Lasts approximately 30 minutes.
- Does not cause pain and is usually performed by a speech therapist.
There are two main types of audiometry, namely
Tonal audiometry is an exam that evaluates a person’s hearing ability, allowing them to determine their lower and upper hearing thresholds on a frequency spectrum ranging from 125 to 8000 Hz.
The auditory threshold is the minimum sound intensity level required for pure pitch to be perceived half the times it is presented, for each frequency.
Voice audiometry evaluates the person’s ability to understand certain words, to distinguish certain sounds, which are emitted by headphones, with different sound intensities. In this way, the person must repeat the words spoken by the examiner.
The audiometric examination is performed inside an isolated booth from other noises that may interfere with the examination. The person wears special hearing aids and must notify the speech therapist, for example, when listening to sounds, which can be emitted at different frequencies and alternatively to each ear.
This test does not cause pain and lasts about half an hour
No special preparation is required to pass this exam. However, in some cases, it may be recommended that the person avoid being exposed to loud and constant noises during the previous 14 hours.