Pure Tone Audiometry

The testing of hearing is most often carried out by establishing the threshold of hearing, the
softest sound which can be perceived in a controlled environment. It is typical to do this
testing with pure tones by providing calibrated tones to a person via earphones, allowing
that person to increase the level until it can just be heard. Various strategies are used, but
pure tone audiometry with tones starting at about 125 Hz and increasing by octaves, half-
octaves, or third-octaves to about 8000 Hz is typical. Hearing tests of right and left ears are Index
generally done independently. The results of such tests are summarized in audiograms.
Hearing
concepts
Audiograms compare
hearing to the normal Dangers
threshold of hearing, which of Loud
varies with frequency as Sounds
illustrated by the hearing
curves. The audiogram is
normalized to the hearing
curve so that a straight
horizontal line at 0
represents normal hearing. Click on illustration for further details.
Hearing loss

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Index
Audiogram Showing Presbycusis
Hearing
The progressive loss of high frequency sensitivity with aging is typical, and is called concepts
presbycusis. The loss of the high frequencies can make it difficult to understand speech,
since the intelligible differences in speech sounds are often in the range above 2000 Hz. References
Nave &
When hearing Nave
aids are used, it
Speak up! Quit mumbling! Ch. 18
is important to
amplify the high Older persons may have difficulty understanding speech clearly Backus
frequencies, because of progressive loss of high frequency hearing. Ch. 5
since it is
uncommon for
there to be
significant loss
at low
frequencies.
Audiograms are
important for the
prescribing of
hearing aids.

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Audiograms Showing Hearing Loss

Audiograms can help with the diagnosis of various types of hearing disorders. Specific
geometries of curves are found to be typical of presbycusis, and a characteristic notch in
the hearing curve may be the signature of damage by a sudden loud sound like a gunshot
or a firecracker explosion close to the ear. Index

Hearing
concepts

References
Nave &
The curves are Nave
normalized so Ch. 18
that a straight
horizontal line Backus
represents equal Ch. 5
loudness.

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