Hearing tests are the core of hearing care. At Hearing Care Clinic, we go beyond simply measuring how well you can hear and get the necessary information to make data-driven recommendations that will make the biggest difference for your hearing loss.

We always start with a complimentary hearing test and ear examination. From there, we will outline the options that have the best potential in your daily life. If you’re new to hearing care or have already been using hearing aids for years, book an appointment for a hearing test to learn more about your hearing.

Why get a hearing test

A hearing test is a process to get information to better understand your hearing and make informed decisions for any treatment, technology or next steps. The main reasons to get a hearing test are:

1.     Understand where your hearing is at today

2.     Get data to make an informed decision

3.     Get a hearing baseline to use in the future

Understand your hearing

Understanding your hearing loss is the top success factor with hearing aids. A hearing test aims to describe the state of your hearing and uncover what factors may have contributed to a hearing loss. By discussing your lifestyle and health history, your hearing specialist will explore how any hearing issues may be impacting your daily life.

A hearing test will also aim to uncover the type of hearing loss and location within the auditory system where they might be a problem. There are different types of hearing losses depending on the location within the ear where the issues originate, so a hearing test can clarify why you hear the way you do.

Get data

A hearing test is often the first step when considering technology or treatments to manage hearing challenges. If hearing aids are an option, then the data from the assessment is integral when deciding the type and technology level and if hearing aids are worth it for you.

We want you to be confident in the decision you make. If you already wear hearing aids or deciding which ones to get, then understanding your hearing is the best action you can take to improve the outcomes of your devices. Our hearing specialists rely on the data from a hearing test to make recommendations for your next steps.

Get a hearing baseline

One in five Canadians have at least a mild hearing loss in the range of sounds that are important to speech. Over time, the likelihood of age-related hearing challenges increases. 

A hearing test before you have discernable challenges with your hearing provides a baseline of information that may be incredibly useful in the future. By comparing current results to a previous hearing baseline, a hearing specialist can identify the sounds that were most impacted and potentially explain what is happening within your hearing system.

Screening tests in schools are common for children, but many adults don’t get a hearing test until there is an issue. Even if your hearing is healthy, a baseline test will provide valuable information. It is even more critical for anyone that worse in potentially noisy environments or is at risk of noise trauma. Should there ever be a concern, this information provides a direct comparison.

What to expect from a hearing test

The complete hearing evaluations from Hearing Care Clinic will help you understand your hearing, get you the data necessary to make informed decisions, and provide you with a baseline of information to use in the future. Our hearing tests are complimentary because we want to contribute to better hearing health for all adults on Vancouver Island.

A hearing test at Hearing Care Clinic includes five steps:

1.     Discuss your hearing and any concerns you may have

2.     Review your health history and lifestyle

3.     Physical examination of the ear canal

4.     Screening test

5.     Review of the results

Discuss your hearing

We gather clues about your hearing by discussing any challenges that you notice – and challenges that you may not even be aware of. Many people adapt to their hearing loss through intentional and unintentional habits. Our hearing specialists will ask questions to learn about how any issues with your hearing affect your life.

Review your health history and lifestyle

Hearing health relates to your overall health and lifestyle at home, work and beyond. Your hearing specialist will review your health history to understand any issues or medications that may contribute to hearing challenges. By reviewing your daily habits, your hearing specialist will identify potential hearing loss factors and get information that is essential for recommending possible solutions.

Physical examination of the ear canal

Using a tiny camera to look inside your ear canal, the hearing specialist will physically examine the state of your ear up to the eardrum. We can even show you the video as we examine the ear!

Hearing screening test

This step includes the hearing tests that most people are familiar with. You will sit in a sound booth with headphones and listen to both tones and words, and then you’ll be asked to respond to the beeps or repeat the words. The screening test takes around 10 minutes to complete.

Discuss the results

After completing the hearing test, your hearing specialist will review the results and explain what they mean for your hearing. We can learn about the state of your hearing through our hearing evaluation, so we will take the time to go through the details. If hearing aids are a recommended option, we will review what to expect and the next steps for deciding on the best devices.

Passing or failing a hearing test

Hearing tests are not a pass or fail – they are an assessment of where you are today.

No matter the results, we will review the details of the test and discuss where you want to be with your hearing. If there is a gap between where you are today and what you want from your hearing, we can suggest the options available to shrink that gap. The options may include hearing aids, but we will rely on the results from the test to make the best recommendations.

Book a hearing test

Schedule an appointment for a hearing test at Hearing Care Clinic. The results from the test will help you understand your hearing and be confident in the next steps in your hearing journey.