The “NAARAAYAN” is a center of excellence specializing in comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for adults and the
assessment of children, including infants. A thorough diagnostic audiological evaluation is the first step if you suspect a
hearing problem and essential before commencing habilitation. A comprehensive audiological evaluation at the
“NAARAAYAN” center routinely includes Medical history/Interview, Otoscopy – Physical examination of the outer ear and
the ear canal, Air and Bone conduction Pure Tone Audiometry & Speech Audiometry – Behavior assessment, Extended
high frequency audiometry, Tympanometry and Acoustic Reflexes to determine middle ear measurements, Otoacoustic
emissions (OAE) – Inner ear measurements, and thorough speech recognition measures, including speech-in-noise
testing and/or screening for central involvement, to evaluate the presence, extent and nature of hearing loss.
Evaluation of hearing can take place at any age. Special testing techniques and tests are used to assess the hearing
ability in a very young child. When you come for a hearing test at the “NAARAAYAN”, you may expect your appointment
to last about one to two hours. Following the testing, Audiologist will present the results of the testing and answer any
questions you may have. The audiologist will also give you recommendations based on the evaluation. If the audiologist
recommends hearing aids or other assistive device, he/she will recommend that you return for a hearing aid evaluation
appointment.
PURE TONE AUDIOMETRY
Pure Tone Audiometry is a test that measures hearing sensitivity. Pure tone thresholds indicate the softest sound audible to an individual at least 50% of the time. Hearing sensitivity is plotted on an audiogram, which is a graph displaying intensity as a function of frequency. Based on the results of this test the audiologist decides if further tests are required to arrive at a diagnosis.
SPEECH AUDIOMETRY
Speech audiometry is audiometry tests in which we test the speech understanding of an individual in a test setup. We provide various speech stimulus through an audiometer and the tester has to recognize them and respond based on his ability to response.
IMMITANCE AUDIOMETRY
Acoustic immittance measures provide diagnostic information regarding middle ear functioning and the integrity of the acoustic reflex pathway. Advanced measures such as multi-frequency tympanometry and absorbance/reflectance measures are performed as necessary to increase the diagnostic information regarding the status of the middle ear. This test helps to detect ear infections, holes in the eardrum, a malfunctioning middle ear bone or other problems that may indicate the need for a medical evaluation.
BERA (Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry)
BERA is a test of the hearing nerve. The duration of the test is about 45 to 60 minutes and involves relaxing in a reclined position for adults and is done under sedation for infants and children. It is a non-invasive test and provides crucial information about the functioning of the hearing nerve. As it is an objective test that doesn’t require the participation of the client it is of great help in assessing hearing thresholds in infants and children.
OAE (Oto Acoustic Emissions)
Measurements of otoacoustic emissions assess the function of the outer hair cells in the cochlea and are a key test in differentiating between cochlear and purely retro cochlear disorder. This objective test can help to determine if normal cochlear function exists even in difficult-to-test populations
Want to do a self-assessment to check for a hearing issue?
Ask yourself the following questions
- Do I have a problem hearing on the telephone?
- Do I have trouble hearing when there is noise in the background?
- Is it hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once?
- Do I have to strain to understand a conversation?
- Do many people I talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?
- Do I misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
- Do I often ask people to repeat themselves?
- Do I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
- Do people complain that I turn the TV volume up too high?
- Do I hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound a lot?
- Do some sounds seem too loud?
If you answered “YES” to three or more of these questions, you could have a hearing issue and may need to have your hearing checked by an Audiologist. Don’t wait. It is better to deal with a problem when you identify it. We can help you find the perfect solution to help you hear better.