What are audiometers used for?
Audiometers are designed to evaluate hearing sensitivity across the speech frequency range. Audiometers can present pure tones, warble tones or narrowband noise during the frequency specific testing. Audiometers use a combination of air conduction and bone conduction to determine the type and severity of hearing loss in a patient. The combination of air conduction and bone conduction will help the practitioner determine if the hearing loss is sensorineural, conductive or mixed.
Sensorinerual hearing loss – Sensorineural hearing loss, or SNHL, happens after inner ear damage. Problems with the nerve pathways from your inner ear to your brain can also cause SNHL. Soft sounds may be hard to hear. Even louder sounds may be unclear or may sound muffled.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (asha.org)
Conductive Hearing Loss - when sounds cannot get through the outer and middle ear. It may be hard to hear soft sounds. Louder sounds may be muffled.
Conductive Hearing Loss (asha.org)
Mixed Hearing Loss – A combination of a conductive and sensorineural hearing loss
What are the types of audiometers?
MedRx offers 3 types of Audiometers; Clinical, Diagnostic, Screening.
A screening audiometer typically uses Pure Tone audiometry to perform a basic air conduction test only. A screening audiometer is used to indicate if a loss of hearing has occurred and may indicate standard threshold shifts over time.
A diagnostic audiometer measures air and bone conduction threshold levels with some diagnostic audiometers additionally measuring speech threshold levels. Diagnostic audiometers will indicate specifically where hearing loss has occurred.
In short, a screening audiometer will only tell you if there’s a hearing issue, whereas a diagnostic audiometer will identify the hearing issue.
Screening audiometers are typically used in occupational health, schools, general practice or pediatric practices. If the screening test indicates a moderate to severe loss of hearing, a hearing professional or ENT should perform a hearing test using a diagnostic audiometer.
Clinical audiometers do all of the above but they also allow the use of special testing protocols on infants and young children.
Reference:
kahntactmedical.com/knowledge-base/what-is-the-difference-between-a-screening-and-diagnostic-audiometer/
meridian.allenpress.com/bit/article/44/3/216/141521/Audiometers-A-Closer-Look
Why choose MedRx Audiometers?
MedRx is known for our top tier customer service, support and training. The MedRx audiometers are controlled through software which allows our support staff to assist practitioners remotely. This allows us to provide assistance within minutes of your clinic discovering an issue. Most support questions are quickly resolved to allow customers to continue working through their schedules. The software-based controls also allow us to complete trainings online using the equipment in your office. This allows for less downtime and practical training with your audiometer. Call our office and experience the difference you will get with MedRx.
MedRx also provides the highest quality audiometers which exceed ANSI and IEC requirements for testing.
How often do audiometers need to be calibrated?
Audiometer calibration shall be checked acoustically, at least annually. The equipment necessary to perform these measurements is a sound level meter, octave-band filter set, and a National Bureau of Standards 9A coupler. In making these measurements, the accuracy of the calibrating equipment shall be sufficient to determine that the audiometer is within the tolerances permitted by American Standard Specification for Audiometers, S3.6-1969.
(osha.gov)
What frequency range do your audiometers reach?
MedRx audiometers have varying capabilities. In general, we have audiometers that can test from 125 Hz up to 20,000Hz through air conduction testing.