Best Audiology Test Doctor in Dubai – Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Being told you need "a few hearing tests" can feel vague. Will they hurt? How long will they take? If you are looking for an audiology test doctor in Dubai, it helps to know what each test does before you walk into the room.

This guide covers pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflexes, otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR). For each, you will learn what it measures, how it feels, how long it takes and how to get ready.

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, with more than 20 years of experience. He sees adults and children with hearing problems.

What happens when you see an audiology test doctor in Dubai?

Before testing starts, your ears are checked with a light or a microscope. Wax or a small infection can change your results, so it is usually cleared first.

Not everyone needs every test. Your doctor picks the ones that fit your symptoms and age. Our hearing test page has more detail. None of the tests below use needles, and none should be painful.

Pure-tone audiometry: the "beep" test

What it measures. It finds the softest sound you can hear at different pitches, from low to high, in each ear.

How it feels. You sit in a quiet booth with headphones on. Each time you hear a beep, even a very faint one, you press a button or raise your hand. It is fine to respond if you are not sure.

A second part, called bone conduction, uses a small vibrating pad behind your ear. It sends sound through the skull bone, skipping the ear canal and eardrum. Together, the two parts tell the doctor which part of the ear is involved. A rushing noise in the other ear is normal. It keeps the better ear from joining in.

How long it takes. About 15 to 30 minutes.

How to prepare. Rest your ears from loud noise, such as concerts or power tools, beforehand. If you wear hearing aids, you will take them out for this test.

Speech audiometry: how well do you hear words?

What it measures. Many people say, "I can hear, but I cannot understand." This test checks the softest level at which you can repeat simple words. It also checks how clearly you understand words when they are loud enough.

How it feels. A recorded or live voice says short words through your headphones, and you repeat them back. Some will be quiet. Just say what you think you heard.

How long it takes. About 10 minutes.

Why it helps. If your word clarity is much poorer than your beep results suggest, the doctor may look more closely at the inner ear or hearing nerve.

Tympanometry: checking the eardrum and middle ear

What it measures. This quick test checks how well your eardrum moves and the pressure in the air space behind it. It can point to fluid, a hole in the eardrum or a blocked Eustachian tube. It does not measure how well you hear.

How it feels. A soft rubber tip sits at the opening of your ear canal. The machine gently changes the air pressure for a few seconds. You may feel a light push, like when a plane lands. Try not to talk or swallow during those seconds.

How long it takes. Under a minute per ear.

Good to know. In children with repeated ear infections, it often shows fluid from glue ear. If you have had recent ear surgery, tell the team first.

Acoustic reflex testing: the ear's tiny safety muscle

What it measures. A tiny muscle in your middle ear tightens when a sound is loud. The test checks whether this reflex happens and at what level. The reflex path runs through the inner ear, the hearing nerve, the brainstem and the facial nerve. So the pattern of results can give clues about where a problem might be.

How it feels. It uses the same rubber tip as tympanometry. You will hear a few short, fairly loud tones. They should not hurt. If a sound feels too uncomfortable, raise your hand.

How long it takes. A few minutes, often straight after tympanometry.

Otoacoustic emissions (OAE): an echo from the inner ear

What it measures. A healthy inner ear, the cochlea, makes a very faint echo when sound goes in. The OAE test listens for it. A clear echo suggests the tiny outer hair cells are working. A missing echo can mean an inner ear problem, or that fluid in the middle ear is blocking it.

How it feels. A small probe in your ear canal plays soft clicks or tones. You just sit quietly. Babies are often tested while asleep.

How long it takes. A few minutes per ear.

Good to know. OAE is used for many newborn hearing screens, because the baby does not need to respond. It shows whether the inner ear responds, but not how much hearing loss there is, so it is used with other tests.

Auditory brainstem response (ABR): following sound to the brain

What it measures. ABR records the electrical signals your hearing nerve and brainstem make in response to sound. It is used when someone cannot reliably do a beep test, such as a baby. It is also used to look into hearing loss or ringing in only one ear.

How it feels. Small sticky sensors go on your forehead and behind each ear. You wear earphones, hear clicks, and lie back with your eyes closed. Many adults fall asleep. The skin is rubbed clean first, which may feel slightly scratchy.

How long it takes. Often 30 to 60 minutes, including set-up. Babies can take longer, as the test works best during natural sleep.

How to prepare. Come with clean, dry skin and hair, with no oils or heavy makeup. For a baby, the team may ask you to keep your child awake on the way and feed them at the clinic. Depending on the result, the doctor may suggest an MRI scan to look at the hearing nerve.

How should you prepare for your audiology tests?

• Rest your ears. Avoid loud music and noisy work for at least a day if you can.
• Bring a list of your medicines, including recent antibiotics or cancer treatment.
• Bring old hearing reports and your hearing aids, if you have them.
• Mention colds or ear pain. A blocked nose or ear infection can change some results.
• Allow enough time. A full set of tests can take one to two hours.

If a child is being tested for speech delay and possible hearing loss, bring a favourite toy or snack. A calm, rested child gives clearer results.

When should you not wait for a routine test slot?

Hearing tests are usually booked ahead. Some problems need a doctor the same day or the next:

• Hearing that drops suddenly, over hours or a few days, often in one ear. Treatment, if needed, may help more when started early.
• New hearing loss with a spinning feeling, vomiting or trouble walking.
• Hearing loss with a drooping face, slurred speech, a severe headache or confusion. Go to an emergency department.
• A painful ear with high fever, a red swelling behind the ear or discharge.

Why see Dr. Muhammad Jabbr before and after your tests?

As an ENT surgeon, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can examine your ears, decide which tests you need and explain what the findings may mean. He can also treat many causes, from wax to problems needing surgery.

• MD, MS, DOHNS (England), European Board ORL-HNS and Arab Board ORL-HNS.
• More than 20 years of experience and more than 3,000 ENT procedures.
• Sees both adults and children.

That makes him one of the best ENT doctors in Dubai to guide you through hearing tests. For complex ear problems, see our page on ear and otology care. To learn what tends to damage hearing, read about common hearing loss causes and prevention.

Book an appointment

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr sees patients at the ENT Department, Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai. You can book your appointment online or call +971 52 751 7811.

Frequently Asked Questions

Knowing what to expect

Each hearing test answers a different question. Together they show the softest sounds you hear, how clearly you follow words, how your eardrum moves, whether the inner ear echoes and whether sound signals reach the brainstem. If you have noticed a change in your hearing, an ENT review with the right tests is a sensible first step.