Hearing Tests at the Leeds Audiology Clinic

Whilst dental and eye tests are a regular part of our lives, hearing tests are often a neglected but important health check. Hearing tests are relatively quick to perform, are completely painless and offer an insight into areas of communication that could become difficult. Here at the Leeds Audiology Clinic, we perform a variety of diagnostic tests to check our client’s hearing levels. We find this gives us a much broader picture on overall hearing health and, if necessary, on what devices may be suitable to aid any hearing loss. Diagnostic tests include:

Cognitive Tests

In addition to taking a case history we can, where appropriate, perform the GAD-7, SHAI and PHQ-9 psychological tests. These tests are often recommended where tinnitus or hyperacusis are having an impact on a person’s life

Otoscopy

Otoscopy is one of the first things an audiologist will do to check the health of the ear canal and eardrum. At the LAC we use traditional otoscopy and otomicroscopy, using an ENT microscope. We also give our clients the opportunity to view their own ear canals on a monitor by using a video-otoscope

Pure Tone Test

One of the most important hearing tests is Pure Tone Audiometry which gives an indication of hearing sensitivity. Testing takes place in a sound-proof booth to help eliminate any ambient, background noise.  We perform both air and bone conduction testing to measure overall hearing sensitivity and inner ear responses using either a pure, steady tone or a modulated sound

Uncomfortable Loudness Levels

Uncomfortable Loudness Levels (or ULL’s) give an indication of sensitivity to loud sounds or hyperacusis. This can also be useful for programming power levels on hearing aids ensuring sounds aren’t over amplified

Speech-In-Quiet

Although standard Pure Tone Audiometry highlights how well tonal sounds are detected, it does not identify the functional brain perception of speech. Word Tests are a good way of identifying how well speech is heard

Speech-In-Noise

Similar to the Speech-in-Quiet, but this time in the presence of ambient background noise. We perform both QuickSIN and LiSN-S PGA tests

Acoustic Immittance Tests

Tympanometry involves placing a small probe into the ear canal to test the tension of the eardrum. Often called a pressure test, this quick process can help identify middle ear issues such as ‘glue ear’ and ear drum abnormalities. We also perform Acoustic Reflex Testing and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Tests

The TEN Test

The Threshold Equalising Noise Test (or TEN Test) helps to identify cochlea dead regions and can be important in programming hearing aids where these dead regions are present

 

Tests soon to be added to the LAC test battery include Sound Field Testing, Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), Distortion Product and Transitory Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE/TEOAE’s)

 

Leeds Audiology Clinic AUD

For more information or to book a hearing test, call us today on 0113 88 00 190