Audiometry Screening and Interpretation

JENNIFER JUNNILA WALKER, MD, MPH, U.S. Army Health Clinic, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
LEANNE M. CLEVELAND, AuD, Fort Richardson Troop Health Clinic, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
JENNY L. DAVIS, AuD, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany
JENNIFER S. SEALES, AuD, General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

The prevalence of hearing loss varies with age, affecting at least 25 percent of patients older than 50 years and more
than 50 percent of those older than 80 years. Adolescents and young adults represent groups in which the prevalence
of hearing loss is increasing and may therefore benefit from screening. If offered, screening can be performed peri-
odically by asking the patient or family if there are perceived hearing problems, or by using clinical office tests such
as whispered voice, finger rub, or audiometry. Audiometry in the family medicine clinic setting is a relatively simple
procedure that can be interpreted by a trained health care professional. Pure-tone testing presents tones across the
speech spectrum (500 to 4,000 Hz) to determine if the patient’s hearing levels fall within normal limits. A quiet test-
ing environment, calibrated audiometric equipment, and appropriately trained personnel are required for in-office
testing. Pure-tone audiometry may help physicians appropriately refer patients to an audiologist or otolaryngologist.
Unilateral or asymmetrical hearing loss can be symptomatic of a central nervous system lesion and requires addi-
tional evaluation. (Am Fam Physician. 2013;87(1):41-47. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

N
More online early 30 million American audiometry when a patient reports a subjec-
at http://www. adults have some degree of tive sense of diminished hearing, or when a
aafp.org/afp.
hearing loss.1 The prevalence of family member reports a patient’s decreased
hearing loss varies with age; at conversational interaction.8
least 25 percent of patients between 51 and Although the USPSTF also found insuffi-
65 years of age, and more than 50 percent of cient evidence to recommend for or against
patients older than 80 years, have objective routinely screening asymptomatic working-
evidence of hearing loss.2,3 Particularly con- age adolescents and adults younger than
cerning is the increasing prevalence of hear- 50 years for hearing impairment,3 other
ing loss in adolescents and young adults, organizations have recommended regu-
which affects between 8 and 19 percent of lar periodic objective testing throughout
this population.1,4 The U.S. Preventive Ser- childhood and adolescence.9,10 One sur-
vices Task Force (USPSTF) finds insufficient vey of adolescents and young adults (mean
evidence for or against screening for hear- age 19.2 years) revealed that 43 percent of
ing loss in asymptomatic adults 50 years or respondents experienced hearing loss associ-
older.3 However, the USPSTF does affirm ated with exposure to loud music within the
the effectiveness of screening question- past six months.11 Adolescents often listen to
naires and clinical techniques such as the music through headphones at maximum vol-
whispered voice, finger rub, and watch tick ume, and underestimate their vulnerability
tests, all of which can be performed in the to music-induced hearing loss.12 Therefore,
primary care clinic.3,5,6 Other guidelines list patients reporting exposure to loud music or
subjective hearing screening as a preven- occupational noise are good candidates for
tive service that should be offered to adults audiometry.13
starting at 40 years of age.7 Testing may be expanded to include patients
Audiometry is a relatively simple procedure who are exposed to excessive noise while at
that can be performed and interpreted by a work or at play who have not used adequate
trained health care professional. Family phy- hearing protection. Unilateral or asymmetri-
sicians should feel comfortable performing cal hearing loss is common in hunters and
this testing on adults and cooperative chil- military veterans exposed to acoustic trauma
dren. Physicians may consider performing from prolonged use of firearms.14
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Audiometry
SORT: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Evidence
Clinical recommendation rating References

Pure-Tone Audiometry The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force C 3

When hearing loss is suspected, pure-tone concludes that the current evidence is
insufficient to assess the balance of benefits
audiometry may be used to evaluate hearing
and harms of screening for hearing loss in
deficits by spot-checking certain frequen- asymptomatic adults 50 years and older.
cies, or to evaluate deficits more completely.15 Patients reporting regular exposure to loud C 11-13
Pure-tone audiometry is performed with music or occupational noise are good
the use of an audiometer. Handheld audi- candidates for screening audiometry.
ometers have a sensitivity of 92 percent and Patients should avoid loud noise for at C 31
a specificity of 94 percent in detecting sen- least 14 hours before pure-tone testing
to minimize temporary threshold shift
sorineural hearing impairment.16 There are
confounding of test results.
several types of audiometers available, but
Patients with persistent unilateral or C 33, 34
all function similarly by allowing the tester asymmetrical hearing loss should be offered
to increase and decrease the intensity (loud- additional evaluation and imaging.
ness, in decibels [dB]) and frequency (pitch,
in cycles per second or Hz) of the signal as A = consistent, good-quality patient-oriented evidence; B = inconsistent or limited-
quality patient-oriented evidence; C = consensus, disease-oriented evidence, usual
desired. practice, expert opinion, or case series. For information about the SORT evidence
Pure-tone audiometry is broadly defined rating system, go to http://www.aafp.org/afpsort.xml.
as either screening or threshold search.
Screening audiometry presents tones across
the speech spectrum (500 to 4,000 Hz) at the upper lim- is perceived to have better hearing, the tester then per-
its of normal hearing (25 to 30 dB for adults, and 15 to forms the same tests on the patient’s other ear.
20 dB for children).17 Results are recorded as pass, indi- Testing should begin at 1,000 Hz, because this fre-
cating that the patient’s hearing levels are within normal quency is easily heard by most patients and has the
limits, or refer, indicating that hearing loss is possible greatest test-retest reliability.18 A common frequency
and a repeat screening test or a threshold search test is sequence for pure-tone threshold search testing is to test
recommended. at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 8,000, 1,000 (repeat), 500,
Threshold search audiometry determines the softest and 250 Hz.15
sound a patient can hear at each frequency 50 percent Sound frequency (ranging from low to high pitch)
of the time. This testing requires more time and exper- is recorded on the audiogram’s horizontal axis. Sound
tise than screening audiometry. The American Speech- intensity is recorded on the vertical axis. Right ear
Language-Hearing Association has a recommended thresholds are manually recorded as a red circle on the
procedure for pure-tone threshold search tests known audiogram. Left ear thresholds are manually recorded as
as the modified Hughson-Westlake method.18 Testing a blue X (Figures 1 to 4B).
begins with the ear in which the patient perceives to have Conventional pure-tone testing is used for adults
better hearing. The tester presents a pure tone at a clearly and older children. Audiometry is more challenging
audible level. After the patient responds to the pure-tone in patients younger than five years, and these patients
signal, the tester decreases intensity by 10 dB and pres- should be referred to an audiologist with experience treat-
ents the tone again. If the patient responds to this tone, a ing children.19 In many cases, the accuracy of pure-tone
“down 10” pattern is employed, with the tester decreas- testing during well-child visits is overwhelmingly poor.20
ing the intensity of the tone by 10 dB and presenting a
tone until the patient no longer responds.18 The tester Special Considerations Affecting Audiometry
then increases tone intensity by 5 dB until the patient Interpretation
responds. This is the patient’s initial ascending response. ENVIRONMENT
To check for accuracy, the tester should decrease the Pure-tone audiometry requires a quiet testing environ-
intensity of the tone by 10 dB one more time to check for ment with low levels of background noise. Background
no response, then increase the intensity of the signal in noise can cause elevated thresholds, especially in low fre-
5 dB increments until the patient responds again to the quencies (eFigures 1A and 1B). To minimize the number
signal. If the patient responds consistently (minimum of false-positive results, sound levels in the test environ-
two out of three responses in ascending order), the tes- ment should not exceed American National Standards
ter records the dB level at which the patient responds as Institute (ANSI) requirements.21 A quiet booth that
the air conduction threshold. After testing the ear that features sound-absorptive materials such as carpeting,

42  American Family Physician www.aafp.org/afp Volume 87, Number 1 ◆ January 1, 2013
 Audiometry
Table 1. Audiometer Suppliers

Grason-Stadler, Inc.
http://www.grason-stadler.com
800-700-2282 the absence of state or local requirements, guidelines for
Handtronix the use of support personnel to perform audiometry are
http://www.handtronix.com listed in Table 2.24-26
866-950-2573
Maico Diagnostics PATIENT HISTORY
http://www.maico-diagnostics.com
888-941-4201
Patients may feign or exaggerate hearing loss for per-
sonal reasons, and may intentionally or unintentionally
Micro Audiometrics
http://www.microaud.com misreport on testing. Patients with constant, bothersome
800-729-9509 tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) often have diffi-
Welch Allyn, Inc. culty discerning pure tones. Many combat veterans have
http://www.welchallyn.com a history of blast exposures, mild concussion, or post-
800-535-6663 traumatic stress disorder.27-29 These patients may have
difficulty completing audiometry for reasons related to
headaches, memory problems, irritability, or fatigue.
acoustic foam, or tiles is considered standard practice. Taking a history before the hearing test will alert the
Industrial hygienists, biomedical maintenance techni- physician to these possibilities. Supplemental, objective
cians, and audiologists can evaluate environmental noise tests such as evoked otoacoustic emissions testing (stim-
levels in the test area using a sound level meter to ensure ulation of hair cells to produce sound) and patient ques-
that ANSI specifications are met. tionnaires can assist with difficult-to-test populations.30
Recent noise exposure before pure-tone testing may
EQUIPMENT affect the validity of the test results. Riding a loud motor-
Several types of audiometers are available for purchase, cycle or listening to music through headphones may
ranging from handheld screening audiometers to those result in a temporary hearing threshold shift, and may
with full diagnostic capabilities extending to higher fre- not reflect the patient’s true hearing thresholds. Patients
quencies. Screening audiometers for office use, for exam- should minimize or avoid exposure to loud noise for at
ple, generally test at frequencies in the speech range of least 14 hours before pure-tone testing.31
500 to 4,000 Hz.
There are many purchase options to consider for ear- PHYSICAL FINDINGS
phones and transducers. Circumaural headphones have Audiometry results may be affected in patients with ana-
a cushion covering the entire external ear. These help tomic anomalies, such as narrow or collapsing ear canals
reduce background noise when the testing environ- (stenosis of the ear canal), complete canal occlusion,
ment is not ideal. Supra-aural headphones sit
directly on the pinna, and are the least effec-
tive headphone at attenuating background Table 2. Guidelines for the Use of Support Personnel
noise. Insert earphones are inserted directly to Perform Audiometry
into the ear canal. They reduce the pos-
sibility of collapsing canals, provide some American Academy of Support personnel are defined as “people who,
background noise attenuation, and reduce Audiology after appropriate training, perform tasks that
the possibility of sound detection from the are prescribed, directed, and supervised by an
audiologist.”24
opposite ear.
American Academy “Technicians can only perform diagnostic
All audiometers and audiometric equip- of Otolaryngology– tests that do not require the skills of an
ment require annual calibrations to meet Head and Neck audiologist…. Technicians must be under the
ANSI specifications.22 Audiometer supplier Surgery direct supervision of a physician.”25
information is listed in Table 1. American Speech- “Regardless of job title, preparation, tasks, and
Language-Hearing other credentials, all persons who provide
PERSONNEL Association (ASHA) support services in audiology and speech-
language pathology should be directed and
Support personnel can be trained to per- supervised by ASHA-certified audiologists
form audiometry in formal courses lasting and/or speech-language pathologists.”26
20 hours.23 Physicians should check with
their state and local agencies for licensing Information from references 24 through 26.
requirements of audiometry personnel. In

January 1, 2013 ◆ Volume 87, Number 1 www.aafp.org/afp American Family Physician 43

 Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000

750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10

0 0
already narrow or closed ear canals may add
10 10
sufficient pressure to collapse the ear canals
20 20
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

even further, resulting in a false high-fre-

30 30 quency hearing loss. An otoscopic examina-
40 40 tion should be performed before the hearing
50 50 test to ensure that the tympanic membrane
60 60
is at least partially visible.
Differentiating conductive hearing loss
70 70
from sensorineural hearing loss requires
80 80
bone conduction testing. Audiometry relies
90 90 on techniques similar to the Weber and
100 100 Rinne tests to compare air and bone conduc-
110 110 tion. Bone conduction audiometry measures
120 120
pure-tone thresholds using a mechanical
Air Conduction Right Left
device that transmits sounds via vibration
Threshold Ear Ear through the forehead or mastoid bone. Fig-
Unmasked ures 2A and 2B demonstrate differences in air
and bone conduction thresholds (an air-bone
Figure 1. Right ear, flat conductive hearing loss across all frequencies gap) for a patient with a tympanic membrane
due to complete occlusion of the ear canal with cerumen. rupture.32 Figures 3A and 3B illustrate no air-
bone gap for a patient with bilateral hearing
or absence of an ear canal (atresia). Impacted cerumen loss. Unilateral or asymmetrical hearing loss (Figures 4A
can cause a conductive hearing loss (Figure 1) that typi- and 4B) can be symptomatic of a central nervous system
cally resolves following cerumen removal. Collapsed ear lesion, including vestibular schwannoma (commonly
canals occur in many older patients whose cartilage has though incorrectly called an acoustic neuroma), and
become flaccid. Placing an over-the-ear headphone over warrants additional evaluation and imaging.33,34

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000
750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000 750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10 -10 -10
0 0 0 0
10 10 10 10
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

20 20 20 20
30 30 30 30
40 40 40 40
50 50 50 50
60 60 60 60
70 70 70 70
80 80 80 80
90 90 90 90
100 100 100 100
110 110 110 110
120 120 120 120

Air Conduction Right Left Air Conduction Right Left Bone Conduction Right Left
Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear
Unmasked Unmasked Unmasked

A B Masked

Figures 2A and 2B. Right ear. Bone conduction is better than air conduction. The patient has low- to mid-frequency
conductive hearing loss due to tympanic membrane perforation.

44  American Family Physician www.aafp.org/afp Volume 87, Number 1 ◆ January 1, 2013
 Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000
750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000 750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10 -10 -10
0 0 0 0
10 10 10 10
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

20 20 20 20
30 30 30 30
40 40 40 40
50 50 50 50
60 60 60 60
70 70 70 70
80 80 80 80
90 90 90 90
100 100 100 100
110 110 110 110
120 120 120 120

Air Conduction Right Left Bone Conduction Right Left Air Conduction Right Left Bone Conduction Right Left
Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear
Unmasked Unmasked Unmasked Unmasked

A Masked B Masked

Figures 3A and 3B. Bilateral, noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss. There are no significant differences between
air and bone conduction thresholds. The asymmetry at 3,000 Hz and 4,000 Hz (with the left ear worse than the right)
reflects this patient’s occupation as a soldier in the infantry and being a right-handed shooter.

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000
750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000 750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10 -10 -10
0 0 0 0
10 10 10 10
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

20 20 20 20
30 30 30 30
40 40 40 40
50 50 50 50
60 60 60 60
70 70 70 70
80 80 80 80
90 90 90 90
100 100 100 100
110 110 110 110
120 120 120 120

Air Conduction Right Left Bone Conduction Right Left Air Conduction Right Left Bone Conduction Right Left
Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear Threshold Ear Ear
Unmasked Unmasked Unmasked Unmasked

A Masked B Masked Masked

Figures 4A and 4B. Left ear sensorineural hearing loss due to vestibular schwannoma. With sensorineural hearing loss,
there is no significant difference in threshold between air and bone conduction.

If the pure-tone threshold difference or asymmetry nontest ear and thresholds are recorded as masked.32
between ears at any frequency is equal to or greater than Right ear masked air conduction thresholds are manu-
40 dB, the sound energy from the test ear can stimulate ally recorded as a red triangle on the audiogram. Left ear
the nontest ear, causing the nontest ear to respond to the masked air conduction thresholds are manually recorded
stimulus. To prevent this crossover of sound from one as a blue box. Right ear masked bone conductions are
ear to the other, narrow band noise is presented to the manually recorded as a red square bracket (open on the

January 1, 2013 ◆ Volume 87, Number 1 www.aafp.org/afp American Family Physician 45

Audiometry

Table 3. Educational Resources for Hearing Conservation

Association Description

American Academy of Audiology Consumer guides including a fact sheet on noise-induced hearing
http://www.audiology.org/ loss; position statement on preventing noise-induced occupational
hearing loss
National Hearing Conservation Association Practical guides on hearing conservation related to music, firearms,
http://www.hearingconservation.org/ farming, children, and noise; Noise Destroys poster of damaged
hair cells within the cochlea
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention: current research, training tools,
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/ frequently asked questions, and more
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Ten Ways to Recognize Hearing Loss patient questionnaire
Disorders
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/10ways.aspx

right side). Left ear masked bone conduction thresholds Also searched were the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality evi-
dence reports, and the National Guideline Clearinghouse, and Cochrane
are manually recorded as a blue square bracket (open on
Database of Systematic Reviews. Search date: September 2011.
the left side). Figures 4A and 4B show masked bone con-
duction thresholds in the left ear. The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the
authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views
Additional audiometric testing by an audiologist is of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army Medical Corps, or the U.S.
recommended for patients whose pure-tone thresholds Army at large.
fall outside the range of normal limits.35
The Authors
Reimbursement Considerations
JENNIFER JUNNILA WALKER, MD, MPH, is a family physician and deputy
Pure-tone audiometry threshold diagnostic testing of
commander at the U.S. Army Health Clinic, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
both ears (interpreted as pass/fail) should be billed
under Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 92552 LEANNE M. CLEVELAND, AuD, is an audiologist serving at the Fort Rich-
ardson Troop Health Clinic, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
(pure tone audiometry [threshold]; air only) or 92553 for
Medicare reimbursement.36 The average reimbursement JENNY L. DAVIS, AuD, is an audiologist serving at the Landstuhl Regional
Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany.
for pure-tone audiometry threshold diagnostic testing of
both ears is $28.71. Medicare does not cover the pure- JENNIFER S. SEALES, AuD, is an audiologist serving at the General Leonard
tone audiometry screening test of both ears under CPT Wood Army Community Hospital, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
code 92551 (screening test, pure tone, air only).36 For Address correspondence to Jennifer J. Walker, MD, MPH, U.S. Army
non-Medicare claims, testing will be billed under the Health Clinic, Bldg. 683, Schofield Barracks, HI 96857. Reprints are not
available from the authors.
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision,
Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis code 389.9 Author disclosure: No relevant financial affiliations to disclose.
(unspecified hearing loss).37,38 Private insurance compa-
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6. Torres-Russotto D, Landau WM, Harding GW, Bohne BA, Sun K, Sinatra leading to certification and recertification as an occupational hearing
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 Audiometry

Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000

750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10

0 0

10 10

20 20
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

30 30

40 40

50 50
60 60

70 70

80 80
90 90

100 100
110 110

120 120
Air Conduction Right Left
Threshold Ear Ear
Unmasked

Figure 1A. The audiogram shows a false low-frequency hearing loss

in both ears because of excessive background noise in the test area.

Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000

750 1,500 3,000 6,000 12,000
-10 -10

0 0

10 10

20 20
Hearing Level in dB (ANSI 1996)

30 30

40 40

50 50
60 60

70 70

80 80
90 90

100 100
110 110

120 120
Air Conduction Right Left
Threshold Ear Ear
Unmasked

Figure 1B. When the patient is retested in a quiet area that meets
American National Standards Institute specifications, hearing levels
are within normal limits.

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