Audiometric Tests & How to Interpret Them

Question 1

What test is this? What do the results tell us?

Answer 1

The Bing Test

This test is used to determine the prescence or absence of the occlusion effect. If the patient has normal hearing or SNHL the tone will be louder when the external auditory canal is occluded with a finger. If the patient has conductive hearing loss the ear is already occluded so the tone will not sound louder when occluded with a finger.

Question 2

What test is this? What do the results tell us?

Answer 2

The Rinne Test.

This test is used to compare the patients AC & BC. If the patient has normal hearing or SNHL it will be louder at the canal aka a postive rinne, AC>BC. If the patient has a conductive hearing loss the tone will be louder on the mastoid aka a negative rinne, AC<BC.

Question 3

What test is this? What do the results tell us?

Answer 3

The Weber

This test is used to determine conductive vs. sesnorineural hearing loss in unilateral cases. If the tone is heard equally loud in both ears it indicates normal hearing or that the hearing loss is the same in both ears. If the tone is louder in the poorer ear it indicates a condutive hearing loss.

Question 4

What test is this? What do the results tell us?

Answer 4

The Schwabach Test

This test is used to compare the patients bone conduction hearing to the presumed normal hearing of the examiner. The patient has normal hearing if they hear the tone as long as the examiner. The patient has a conductive hearing loss if they hear the tone as long or longer than the examiner. The patient has a SNHL if they hear the tone for a shorter time than the examiner.