Diagnostic Tests for Hearing impairment
Diagnostic Test list for Hearing impairment:
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Hearing impairment
includes:
- Physical examination
- In a child, note any malformation of the skull, ears or face that may indicate a congenital syndrome associated with deafness
- Pain with moving ear lobe suggests otitis externa
- Examine in the ear with otoscope for any abnormalities such as excessive ear wax, foreign body, otitis media (middle ear infection), otitis externa (outer ear infection), cholesteatoma (a tumor in the middle ear) or ruptured ear drum
- Ear discharge swab for microscopy and culture
- Rinne' hearing test with a tuning fork - will help determine if hearing impairment is due to nerve problem or conduction (middle ear) problem.
- Weber hearing test with a tuning fork - will help determine which ear is affected by hearing impairment and further assist in determining if hearing impairment is due to a nerve problem or conduction (middle ear) problem.
- Audiometry and caloric testing - should be done in almost all cases in which the ear examination is normal. Distinguishes sensorineural from conductive deafness.
- Tympanometry - can assist in diagnosing mild cases of serous otitis media (glue ear) which is the commonest cause of hearing impairment in children.
- Radiological investigations
- X-Rays of the mastoids, petrous temporal bones and internal auditory canal may show signs of mastoiditis, fractures of the petrous temporal bone
- MRI of brain and auditory canals if suspect acoustic neuroma
- Cerebral angiography if suspect basilar artery insufficiency
- MRI angiography is an excellent noninvasive alternative for diagnosing vertebral-basilar artery disease
- MRI brain may help to diagnose multiple sclerosis
- Electrophysiological tests such as visual-evoked response (VER) - may be required to help diagnose Multiple sclerosis.
- Spinal tap for fluid analysis - may be required to help diagnose multiple sclerosis.
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Hearing impairment causes:
- Ear Infections: Home Testing:
- Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
» Next page: Glossary
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