Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) is a standard hearing test used to assess a person’s hearing sensitivity. It measures the softest sounds (thresholds) a person can hear at different frequencies, usually between 250 Hz and 8000 Hz, which cover the range most important for understanding speech.

How it works:

• The test is conducted in a soundproof booth using headphones (for air conduction) and sometimes a bone conduction vibrator placed behind the ear.

• The person being tested is asked to respond (usually by pressing a button or raising a hand) whenever they hear a tone, even if it’s very faint.

• The tester presents pure tones (single-frequency sounds) at varying volumes to determine the threshold of hearing at each frequency.

Results:

• The outcomes are plotted on an audiogram, a graph showing hearing thresholds across frequencies.

• Normal hearing is typically 0–25 dB HL (hearing level).

• The test helps identify the type (conductive, sensorineural, or mixed) and degree (mild to profound) of hearing loss.