Definition of Unmasked Air Conduction Hearing Test

Although hearing aid technology has advanced greatly, hearing test procedures have remained the same. During a hearing test, the clinician will present tone sounds in each ear via headphones and ask you to push a button or raise your hand every time you hear a tone.

Function

• We hear via air conduction, meaning that we hear sound waves traveling through the air. Air conduction hearing is tested using ear inserts. The clinician documents the tone noises you respond to.

Identification

• Masking during an air conduction hearing test involves the use of static noise or white noise. The white noise is played in the non-test ear, while the tone noises are played in the test ear.

Purpose

• When you have a severe hearing loss in one ear but relatively good hearing in the other ear, masking will be used during the air conduction portion of your hearing test. At a certain volume level your good ear hears for your bad ear. To obtain accurate hearing test results, white noise is played in your good ear to keep it from hearing the tones being played in your bad ear.

Definition

• The need for masking isn’t common during air conduction testing. Most people have an almost equal amount of hearing loss in both ears. A un-masked air conduction test means there was no significant difference between the right or left ear's ability to hear.

Expert Insight

• When masking is necessary during air conduction testing, it’s necessary during other portions of the hearing test. Other portions of the hearing test will require you to repeat words or sentences, hear sounds from behind your ear and determine a comfortable listening volume in each ear. To keep your good ear from hearing for your bad ear during these other tests, masking will be used.