Do you hear properly or your hearing capacity decreases? It can be detected by audiometry test. We can hear when sounds based on their intensity and the speed of sound wave vibrations that is tone; reach the nerves of the inner ear. If sound waves travel to the inner ear through the ear canal, eardrum, and bones of the middle ear (air conduction) properly then there is no problem of hearing loss.
The INTENSITY of sound is measured in decibels (dB):
1. A whisper is about 20 dB.
2. Loud music (some concerts) is around 80 – 120 dB. 3. A jet engine is about 140 – 180 dB.
Sounds greater than 85 dB can cause hearing loss after a few hours. Louder sounds can cause immediate pain, and hearing loss can develop in a very short time.
The TONE of sound is measured in cycles per second (cps) or Hertz 1. Low bass tones range around 50 – 60 Hz.
2. Shrill, high-pitched tones range around 10,000 Hz or higher.
The normal range of human hearing is about 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz. Some animals can hear up to 50,000 Hz. Human speech is usually 500 – 3,000 Hz.
Multiple types of audiometric testing are: 1. Pure Tone Audiometry 2. Speech Perception 3. Tympanometry 4. Whispered voice test 5. Tuning fork test 6. Bone conduction test 7. Hearing Test Results – The Audiogram
