Online Hearing Tests… Are they accurate?

Testing… 1. 2. 3.

Recently we had a client who was extremely anxious and upset that they had a significant hearing deficit after receiving the results of an online hearing test. 

On examination, both their ear canals appeared perfectly clear with no evidence of any previous damage, illness, or trauma. We did a simple lay hearing assessment and “finger rub” test which indicated that the client’s hearing was normal, and also sent a referral to a respected audiologist we know, just to be sure. Our client left feeling reassured, but we feel the stress this person went through was unnecessary.

Curious as to the internet test, we got online and took this test ourselves. 

It is stated on the website that this test is conducted in “Australian English”. However, the words chosen were, in the opinion of our clinician, not necessarily that simple with some requiring a more advanced understanding of the English language, including spelling skills.

After reviewing the online “hearing assessment”, Total Ear Hygiene encourages our clients not to take such assessments as gospel or a substitute for a professional hearing assessment conducted by a reputable audiologist or audiometrist.

While we don’t want to “name and shame” and appreciate that business practices take many forms, we always encourage our clients to seek the advice of a trained professional. We recommend that you never decide lightly on a single and unsupervised experience. 

At Total Ear Hygiene, our expertise is in removal of debris/ear wax from the ear canal. Sometimes this is the cause of hearing issues, but also it sometimes is not. Making an appointment with us and discovering that there is no occlusion in your ears incurs only a small consultation fee, and that can make all the difference between peace of mind and making unnecessary financial commitments.