If Audiologist's Test Shows Hearing Loss, Can They Specify What Part of the Inner Ear?

[jeannie]

When we go to an audiologist after we get tinnitus and they do the usual testing, and it actually does show some hearing loss, can they tell by the test they do what part of the inner ear is damaged?

Like high frequency is a certain part???? Or do they just guess and say nerve damage because you have some hearing loss?

 

[InfiniteLoop]

@jeannie

Most audiologists only measure up to 8KHz and that leaves out the very high frequency range (8 -20KHz).
The standard tone audiometry can be done through bone or through air and that can help to separate conductive (middle ear) from the rest of auditory system.
They can further perform DPOAS (otoacustic emission) to check the state of the outer hair cells in the cochlea. If the tone audiometry hearing loss and the DPOAS are similar, then the problem is in the cochlea (the most common problem by far).
They can perform ABR (auditory brainstem response) to check if there is a problem with the auditory nerve. This test is not very common.

 

[jeannie]

OK thank you.