A Broad Analysis Of An Audiometer

By Tiffany Gill


If you have hearing loss problems, then an audiometer is the best device to evaluate to what extend your problem is. This device can also be used to test other problems specifically those that involve the Ear, nose or the throat. This device is calibrated in decibel units which are universally accepted. The calibration is however done in regular basis to ensure that the device gives a perfect reading when in use.

The device resembles a pair of headphones but is fitted with a feedback button which is controlled by a computer. The computer helps the specialist conducting the hearing loss analysis to display the data which is eventually used to form an audiogram. This audiogram is the one used to analyze the range through which a patient can react to given sound frequency.

The audiogram is plotted with the intensity of sound as the y axis in decibel units and the frequency of sound in the x- axis in hertz. The measured reading of the patient will be noted down and used to plot such a graph. Usually, the specialist uses computer software to aid them in drawing a perfect graph. They feed the reading to the computer software which automatically plots the audiogram graph. An important frequency known as the fundamental is included in the data as it is being fed to software to ensure the resulting audiogram captures all the details of the patient.

There exist two types of audiometers. They are the software and the hardware type. The software type is also called the digital audiometers. Such devices use computer software in their operation. They are mostly used by speech therapists in educational institutions to guide students with hearing capabilities.

On the other hand, the hardware type comes with an embedded unit which is inclusive of a feedback button and a pair of headphones. The button gives signals back to the embedded unit as received from the patient. The pair of headphones is used to shield the patient from external noises during test this data is then fed to a special PC to produce an audiogram. This audiometer is expensive when compared to the software type.

The overall procedure of identifying a hearing loss problem is not complex as you might think. With this device, it is very easy.it only entails the patient being subjected to an audio from the device then their reaction at different frequencies being noted. These different frequencies give a range of the hearing capabilities of the patient. The range aid the medical specialist in treating such a patient.

During hearing loss analysis, the way through which patients respond to the sound varies. Adult patients are required to press a button while small children are provided with toys to show their reactions to the sound. Head turn can also be used to note a reaction to the sound.

This hearing loss test using an audiometer can also be extended to animals. Vet doctors have devised unique ways to make sure that animals do respond to various frequencies. For instance they can provide food to the animal as way of rewarding it for responding to a certain frequency. The animal will be trained to understand that its response to a given frequency usually means food and therefore the doctor will be able to record down the range through which the animal can respond to different frequencies.




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