Difference Between Hearing Screening and Hearing Tests

Sometimes terminology can be confusing. For example, take the term “hearing test;” when is a hearing test not a hearing test? The answer is when it’s a hearing screening.

Hearing screenings

A hearing screening is the most basic form of testing your ability to hear. A hearing screening is generally a preliminary test to see if more in-depth testing needs to be done. Babies usually receive a hearing screening soon after birth. Young children and adults are screened using a “pure-tone” screening test.

Pure-tone screenings require the test subject to wear headphones while the screening test is conducted. A series of sounds at different tones and frequencies is transmitted. The screening subject indicates with a pre-arranged signal whether they hear the sound and in what ear they hear it.

For very young children, the pure-tone test is adjusted to be more age appropriate. In instances where a child cannot or will not wear headphone, the test can be conducted in a sound booth, but hearing for each ear cannot be screened in this manner.

Hearing screenings are generally pass-or-fail tests that determine if further hearing testing is necessary. If the screening is passed, no further testing is necessary and it is assumed that hearing is fine. If the screening is failed, then further hearing tests by a qualified audiologist is necessary.

Hearing tests 

Audiologists use different types of tests to determine your ability to hear sound. These tests also tell how the components of your ears responsible for hearing are operating. Hearing tests are painless and there is no need to be anxious about the procedures.

• Speech testing. Despite its name, speech testing doesn’t test your speech; it tests how well you can hear speech. A speech reception threshold test quantifies the faintest speech that can be heard half of the time. This test will be done with and without background noise, as one of the most common complaints about hearing is the inability to hear conversation in noisy environments.

• Tympanometry. This test with a fancy name uses a bit of air to determine if you have fluid in the middle ear, a perforated eardrum or excessive wax buildup. This test determines how the middle ear is functioning and is especially important if you have a history of ear infections.

• Acoustic reflex. This test checks the function of a tiny muscle in the ear that reacts to sound. Like the other hearing tests, this gives an idea of how your ears are functioning.

Hearing evaluation

Based on the results of the hearing tests, your audiologist can get a complete picture about your hearing. This information allows the audiologist to help you with:

• Determining if hearing loss exists
• Possible reasons for hearing loss
• Treatment options
• Counseling for adaptive living

Hearing loss doesn’t mean you have to stop living, it means you just live a little differently. Your audiologist is trained to help you live life to the fullest with hearing loss.