Speech Audiometry

Pure tone audiometry only tell us about auditory status where speech audiometry provides information about ability to hear and understand speech, comfort and discomfort levels.

Indications-

  • Normal hearing with difficulty in speech understanding
  • Hearing loss with difficulty in speech understanding
  • To assess auditory deprivation
  • To assess auditory tolerance
  • Prior hearing aid fitting (Prognostic tool)

Speech Tests

  • SAT (Speech Awareness Threshold) / SDT (Speech Detection Threshold)

    • It is a minimum level in dB at which listener is aware of speech

  • SRT (Speech Reception Threshold)

    • It is the level on which listener identifies correctly 50% of the Spondee words presented.

  • SDS (Speech Discrimination Score) / WRS (Word Recognition Score)

    • It is the percentage score which listener correctly repeats from PB words presented

  • MCL (Most Comfortable Loudness Level)

    • It is the hearing level at which listener experiences speech to be most comfortable

  • UCL (Uncomfortable Loudness Level)

    • It is the hearing level at which listener experiences speech to be uncomfortably loud.