Definition of Real ear measurement
Real ear measurement is the measurement of sound pressure level in a patient's ear canal developed when a hearing aid is worn. It is measured with the use of a silicone probe tube inserted in the canal connected to a microphone outside the ear and is done to verify that the hearing aid is providing suitable amplification for a patient's hearing loss. The American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) and American Academy of Audiology (AAA) recommend real ear measures as the preferred method of verifying the performance of hearing aids.
Used by audiologists and other hearing healthcare practitioners in the process of hearing aid fitting, real ear measures are the most reliable and efficient method for assessing the benefit provided by the amplification. Measurement of the sound level in the ear canal allows the clinician to make informed judgements on audibility of sound in the ear and the effectiveness of hearing aid treatment.
The use of real ear measurement to assess the performance of hearing aids is covered in the ANSI specification Methods of Measurement of Real-Ear Performance Characteristics of Hearing Aids, ANSI S3.46-2013 (a revision of ANSI S3.46-1997).
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Frequently asked questions
What is Real ear measurement?
Real ear measurement is the measurement of sound pressure level in a patient's ear canal developed when a hearing aid is worn.
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: Real ear measurement – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Cstokesrees – CC BY-SA 3.0