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OUR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS |
The Ear Institute of Texas is a specialized medical practice that focuses care in two medical disciplines: neurotology and otology. The office is specifically designed to treat all disorders related to the ear: hearing and all forms of hearing loss, balance and dizziness disorders, vertigo, chronic imbalance, Meniere's disease, infectious and chronic ear disease, otosclerosis, facial nerve dysfunction, acoustic tumors, skull base tumors and diseases, and concussions/ post-concussion syndrome for both adults and children. Our facility and staff are an important reflection of our medical practice and the quality of care you can expect to receive. The focus of this practice is you, the patient. Our goal and the goal of this facility are to treat you, our patient with the best possible care. The office is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art diagnostic and rehabilitation equipment to evaluate and treat your individual disorder as it relates to the ear. Since many ear and balance disorders are affected by allergies, we offer allergy testing and treatment. To rehabilitate hearing loss, through physician-directed, licensed audiologists, we provide all the latest forms of listening assistive devices including: conventional, digital, and analog hearing aids, as well as implantable hearing aids, and cochlear implantation. Dr. Jackson is happy to offer the latest surgical treatments for Meniere's disease, hearing device implantation, sudden hearing loss, and conductive hearing impairment when indicated. |
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Pure Tone Hearing Test This test determines your ability to hear sounds. The high, mid, and low frequency sounds are presented as pure tones at various levels of loudness. Some are presented through the ear canal. Other sounds are presented through a bone vibrator placed behind the ear, allowing assessment of air conduction and bone conduction thresholds. These tests determine the status of the inner ear (hair cell) or auditory nerve and the middle ear conduction mechanism separately. This test is performed in a sound proof hearing booth while wearing head phones to eliminate any outside noises. |
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Speech Testing Speech testing provides information regarding your ability to understand words. Two different types of speech are presented. In the test, a series of words are heard at a various degrees of loudness to test the ability to hear simple words (i.e., speech reception threshold). A second group of words are heard at a comfortable listening level to determine the ability to accurately repeat different words (i.e., speech discrimination). This test is also performed in a sound proof hearing booth while wearing head phones to eliminate any outside noises. |
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| Clicks of varying speeds are used to stress the system and verify the auditory nerve’s ability to handle rapid stimulation. This test can also be used to test hearing in patients not able to do a traditional hearing test in the sound booth (for example infants), determining degree of hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe, or profound.
An ABR test is administered by placing electrodes in your ear canal or behind your ear and on your forehead. A clicking noise is then presented to each ear individually. This test is done in a darkened room and you lay as still and relaxed as possible. Testing takes from 15 minutes to one hour depending on how many things are being assessed. |
| Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) This test is a measurement of the “echo’’ of sounds produced by the outer hair cells in the cochlea. OAE’s only occur in a normal ear; so it is an indirect measure of hearing sensitivity. If OAE’s are present, then hearing levels are generally better than 35dB. If there is damage to the outer hair cells or problems with the eardrum or middle ear (such as perforations or fluid) producing mild hearing loss, then OAE’s will not be present. OAE’s can only provide information about the activity of the cochlea, and do not assess the status of the auditory pathway. This test is very useful as it does not require any participation or response of the patient. For this test a tip is placed in the ear canal and a series of beeps or tones are presented at various pitches. This test takes about 2 minutes per ear in a quiet patient. |
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Electrocochleography (ECoG) |
Electronystagmography (ENG)/(VNG) ENG/VNG consists of a series of tests used to evaluate the function of the vestibular system by
evaluating known reflexes between the inner ear and movements of the eye. The patient is fitted with electrodes around the eyes (in ENG) or laser goggles (in VNG) that monitor eye movements during various eye maneuvers aimed at stimulating the vestibular system. |
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to determine very specific problems, aiding both the physician and physical therapist in developing an individualized treatment and recovery plan. The VAT can be used in diagnosis and can also monitor changes during vestibular rehabilitation. The test itself is patient-friendly: children, adults, and older populations can all easily perform the test without discomfort. The patient wears a strap around his/her head (much like the inside of a baseball cap) with a sensor that monitors head motion and electrodes or video goggles that monitor eye movements. There are two basic instructions for the patient: you are asked to look at the target and move your head to the computer-generated tone for 18 seconds. During one trial, you are asked to move your head side to side and slowly increase your speed with the tone. In another trial, you are asked to do the same thing while moving your head up and down. |
| Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA) The Dynamic Visual Acuity test evaluates the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) similar to the Vestibular Autorotation Test (VAT) as described above. In this test, the patient moves his/her head rapidly from side to side and up and down while reading an eye chart. Although the visual acuity is expected to decline mildly when the head is moving, more dramatic declines in visual acuity can indicate a vestibular or central deficit. back to top |
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Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) |
Cochlear Implant Evaluation |
| Immunotherapy: "Allergy Shots" Immunotherapy is commonly referred to as “Allergy Shots,” a preventive treatment program used to desensitize patients from substances to which they are allergic. Research has shown that allergy shots can reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis (hay fever), migraines, tinnitus (ear noise), chronic ear infections, and fatigue, as well as dizziness brought on by Meniere’s or hydrops. First, the doctor or allergist will ask you questions about your environment and symptoms to determine if allergy testing is necessary and will help your symptoms. Then allergy tests are conducted to identify the specific allergens that are causing your symptoms, helping to address the cause of the problem. back to top |
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