Audiometry Hearing Test

The audiometry hearing test, also known as a hearing test or audiography, is a non-invasive diagnostic test that measures your ability to hear sounds of different volumes (loudness) and pitches (high or low sounds). Hearing works when sound travels through your ear to the inner ear, where it is converted into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. Sound reaches the inner ear either through the ear canal, eardrum, and middle ear bones (air conduction) or through the bones surrounding the ear (bone conduction).

Audiometry is commonly recommended to evaluate symptoms such as difficulty hearing conversations, ringing in the ears, or hearing loss following exposure to loud noise. It also helps evaluate and monitor hearing disorders such as age-related hearing loss, chronic ear infections, Ménière’s disease, otosclerosis, and eardrum perforation, among others. Depending on your symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend a pure tone audiometry (PTA) test to assess your hearing ability. During the test, you will wear earphones and be asked to signal whenever you hear tones of different pitches and volumes. The results help determine the type and severity of hearing loss. No special preparation is required, and the test is painless, though a detailed evaluation may take up to an hour. Results can be influenced by factors such as earwax build-up, an active ear infection, or difficulty following test instructions, which may affect accuracy.

To undergo your audiometry test at PharmEasy, choose a convenient diagnostic centre and your preferred appointment slot. The test is conducted by trained audiologists using advanced equipment, and your expert-reviewed digital reports are delivered on the PharmEasy app once they are ready.

The pure tone audiometry (PTA) test is the most commonly advised audiometry test. Your doctor may recommend this test if you:

• Have difficulty hearing conversations or frequently ask others to repeat themselves.
• Experience hearing loss in one or both ears, whether sudden or gradual.
• Notice ringing, buzzing, or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus).
• Have difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments.
• Frequently increase the volume of the television, phone, or other audio devices.
• Have a history of repeated ear infections, ear injury, or ear surgery.
• Are exposed to loud noise at work or during recreational activities, such as using heavy machinery or attending loud events.
• Are taking or have taken medications that may affect hearing (ototoxic medicines), as advised by your doctor.
• Need a baseline or follow-up assessment to monitor hearing over time or evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.
• Are experiencing age-related changes in hearing or have a family history of hearing loss.
• Are undergoing a preventive hearing assessment, especially if you are at increased risk of hearing loss due to age, occupational noise exposure, or other risk factors.

Your doctor may also recommend a PTA test for other clinical reasons based on your symptoms, medical history, and overall hearing health.

The pure tone audiometry (PTA) test evaluates your hearing ability and helps identify the type, degree, and pattern of hearing loss. It may help detect or assess the following conditions:

• Conductive hearing loss, caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, such as ear infections, earwax build-up , fluid in the middle ear, or otosclerosis (abnormal bone growth in the middle ear).
• Sensorineural hearing loss, resulting from damage to the inner ear or hearing nerve. This may occur due to age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), prolonged exposure to loud noise, acoustic trauma, certain medications, or inherited conditions.
• Mixed hearing loss, which involves features of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
• Hearing changes that may be associated with conditions such as Ménière’s disease, labyrinthitis, or an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma), which require additional tests for confirmation.
• Hearing loss associated with a ruptured or perforated eardrum or chronic ear infections.

A PTA test can identify hearing loss and help determine its severity, but it cannot diagnose the underlying cause on its own. Depending on your symptoms and test results, your healthcare provider may recommend additional tests, such as tympanometry, speech audiometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAE), brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA), or imaging studies, to confirm the diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment.

What to Expect Before the Test

• No special preparation is usually required before a PTA test.
• Inform your healthcare provider or audiologist if you have ear pain, ear discharge, a recent ear infection, or have undergone ear surgery, as these may affect the test or require it to be postponed.
• Avoid exposure to loud noise for at least 12 to 24 hours before the test, if possible, as temporary hearing changes can affect the results.
• Remove hearing aids before the test unless you are instructed otherwise. If you use hearing aids, carry them with you to the appointment.
• Follow any additional instructions provided by your doctor or the diagnostic centre.

What to Expect During the Test

• You will be seated comfortably in a quiet, sound-treated room or booth to minimise background noise.
• The audiologist or technician will place headphones over your ears or insert earphones into your ears to assess air conduction hearing. In some cases, a small vibrating device may be placed behind your ear to assess bone conduction hearing.
• You will hear a series of tones of different pitches and volumes, one ear at a time.
• You will be asked to indicate whenever you hear a sound, usually by pressing a button or raising your hand, even if the sound is very faint.
• The test is painless, non-invasive, and usually takes 20–30 minutes to complete.

What to Expect After the Test

• You can return to your normal activities immediately after the test, as no recovery time is required.
• The audiologist will analyse your hearing thresholds and prepare an audiogram (hearing graph), which shows the softest sounds you can hear at different frequencies.
• Your test report will be shared with you once it is ready.
• Your doctor will interpret the results along with your symptoms and medical history. If hearing loss is detected, additional tests or imaging studies may be recommended to determine the underlying cause and guide further management.

PTA measures the softest sounds you can hear (hearing thresholds) in decibels hearing level (dB HL) across different sound frequencies (measured in Hertz, Hz). Results are plotted on an audiogram (hearing graph).

The degree of hearing loss is commonly classified as: