Octoacoustic emissions (OAE) are defined as very low level and inaudible sounds generated by the outer hair cell of cochlea in the inner ear. When the hair cells of the inner ear are stimulated, they respond by transmitting information to the brain and also by transmitting an “echo” back to the outer ear. OAE test is used to analyze and record this “echo”.As a general practice, patients with good or normal functioning cochlea show the presence of OAE’s whereas OAE’s are absent in patients with mild conductive or cochlear hearing loss.
It is mainly used as a Screening tool for hearing loss in infants, newborns, very young children.