Otoacoustic emissions and other ear check equipment for use by hearing care professionals
Hearing loss is a condition wherein
a person cannot hear sounds at or above 20 decibels (dB). It can manifest in
various degrees, ranging from mild to profound, and can affect one or both
ears. Hearing loss can result from a variety of factors, such as early-onset childhood
hearing issues, ear infections, age-related hearing deterioration,
noise-induced damage, and the use of ototoxic medications. The consequences of
hearing loss can be far-reaching, affecting a person's ability to communicate
and potentially leading to delayed language development in children.
Hearing loss can be attributed to
several causes, including aging and exposure to loud noises. It can be categorised
as conductive (affecting the outer or middle ear), sensorineural (involving the
inner ear), or mixed (a combination of both types). Additionally, factors like
excessive earwax can impact hearing capacity.
Symptoms of hearing loss
include:
·
Muffling of
speech and other sounds
·
Trouble hearing
and understanding words
·
Often asking
others to speak clearly and loudly
·
Staying clear of
some social settings
·
Ringing in the
ears, known as tinnitus
·
Needing to turn
up the volume of television and radio
Hearing loss not only diminishes
the quality of life but also hampers effective communication with others. It
can even lead to cognitive impairment, affecting one’s thinking abilities.
People with hearing loss often experience a decline in self-esteem and
confidence. Hearing loss can either be congenital or acquired later in life,
and it may hinder the acquisition of a new language. Furthermore, individuals
with hearing loss might withdraw socially due to communication difficulties and
reduced access to services.
Hearing loss tests
Audiologists or ear doctors make
use of ear
check equipment, such as otoacoustic emissions, to determine the type and
extent of hearing loss in an individual. Several types of hearing tests are
performed by audiologists to determine hearing loss. These include:
Pure Tone Testing: This common hearing test determines the lowest volume at which a person
can detect sounds at different frequencies.
Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) Test: The test is performed by the audiologist to check the functioning of
your inner ear. As otoacoustic emission does not rely on the person’s response
behavior, the test can be performed when the person is asleep.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): In this test, an audiologist makes use of ear check equipment to check
the connections or pathways between your inner ear and brain. The test is done
on children and adults who can’t complete pure-tone tests. The test can also be
used on people whose hearing has been affected due to brain injury.
Bone Conduction Testing: The test is used to see if you have wax or fluid blocking your outer ear
or middle ear, or if hearing loss is due to problem with sensory
cells.
Tympanometry: This test determines how well your eardrum moves. Audiologists may use
appropriate ear check equipment to see if you have a ruptured eardrum, or if
there is fluid or ear wax in your middle ear or ear canal.
Various ear check
equipment
Sonic
Equipment has the widest selection of otoacoustic emissions test devices,
and other ear check equipment from the world’s top brands in the industry,
including Amplivox, Difra, MedRx, FlexVRA, Maico, HearX, and more. These
include the below ear check equipment among others:
GSI Corti: This otoacoustic emissions device is portable, and measures otoacoustic
emissions (OAE) in infants, children, and adults. The ear check instrument
meets all recommended hearing screening protocols. It offers physicians the
ability to rapidly screen newborns and perform OAE testing. This reliable and
easy-to-use ear check equipment has flexible protocols, cradle convenience, and
requires no OAE probe cleaning.
Maico easyScreen: The otoacoustic emissions device unites ABR, TEOAE, and DPOAE screening
capabilities. The portable ear check equipment saves test time with its
binaural automated ABR screening to test both ears at the same time. The ABR
and OAE testing device is easy to operate and allows even first-time users to achieve
the most accurate results.
Amplivox Otosure: This PC-based ear check equipment is designed to provide occupational
health professionals with significant workflow improvements through time and
cost savings. This pure tone audiometry device has a user-friendly recall
facility, automatic HSE categorisation, and extensive data analysis and
trending.
Amplivox 302 & 302+: This diagnostic tympanometer provides fast and accurate middle ear
measurements for all age groups, including neonates. The ear check equipment is
ideal for use by audiology, ENT, and hearing care professionals. The device
includes the perfect test to assess all ages, and identify the most common
middle ear pathologies.
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