Are Online Hearing Tests Accurate?

Hearing loss is common in Australia, particularly among the elderly and those in professions that expose them to loud environments. Many people turn to online hearing tests because they don’t have the time in their busy schedule to attend an appointment or they’re nervous about attending an audiology clinic unless they absolutely have to.

Although there has been an increase in the availability of online hearing tests, many who are worried about their hearing question their accuracy. While online tests are a great screening tool to determine whether you have a hearing problem or not, they should not replace a full hearing assessment performed by a hearing professional.

The team at Melbourne Audiology Centre understands that each person’s hearing health is different, which is why we take a personalised approach rather than a one-size-fits-all one. We provide care for all hearing conditions and work with patients of all ages and abilities – contact us to book a hearing assessment today.

Online hearing tests are actually quite simple and often only take three to five minutes.

They will usually begin with a series of questions about you (such as your age, how you feel in specific listening situations, whether you believe you have hearing loss, and so on). The answers to these questions will help to personalise the test and results.

After this, the actual test will begin. You’ll be asked to set your volume to 50% and will listen for beeps, turning the volume either up or down until you can just hear them. The test usually covers three frequencies – low, medium, and high.

At the end of the test, you’ll be provided with a summary of your results.

There are many advantages to using online hearing tests:

• They provide an introduction to the idea of hearing testing.
• They’re completely private and discrete.
• They’re generally free, so suit all financial situations.
• They’re a helpful first step for time-poor people.
• They encourage early intervention and hearing rehabilitation.

There are some drawbacks to be aware of when using online tests:

• They provide general results rather than specific ones, so you’ll only learn if you have suspected hearing loss (rather than its type, etc).
• They rely on everyday equipment in an everyday environment, which can affect their accuracy and skew the results.
• They can miss things, like physical problems (ear wax or debris) and how well your eardrum moves.
• They lack personalised advice and support from a professional audiologist.

You should consider taking an online hearing test if you (or your family) have noticed signs of hearing loss. These may include:

• Struggling to understand what people are saying, especially in noisy environments (such as restaurants).
• Feeling like people are increasingly mumbling; in reality these people may be talking at a normal level!
• Turning up the volume on the television or radio so loud that others complain.
• Experiencing difficulties in hearing over the phone.
• Having trouble hearing high-pitched sounds.

If the results from your online test show that you have some possible hearing loss, this must be further investigated by a professional audiologist. This will enable you to rule out any medical conditions that could be behind the hearing loss, diagnose the type and degree of hearing loss you’re experiencing, and discuss ways to protect your hearing and improve your quality of life.

While an online test can give most people an idea of whether they’re experiencing hearing loss or not, they aren’t suitable for everyone.

If you’re experiencing signs of tinnitus (such as ringing in the ears), dizziness or vertigo, if you feel that one ear hears better than the other, or if you also have physical symptoms (such as ear wax, draining, or bleeding) you should see an audiologist instead. These factors can impact the results of an online test, so a professional assessment will provide the most accurate results.

While online hearing tests certainly have their place in the pursuit of improved hearing health, they shouldn’t replace a full diagnostic hearing assessment performed by a trained audiologist.

When you visit us at Melbourne Audiology Centre, we’ll take you through several types of tests that are designed to assess your hearing from all angles, along with any contributing factors. Once the tests are complete, we’ll sit down with you and go through the results to determine the next steps.

We invite you to try our free online hearing test and to book an appointment at one of our seven clinics if you have any concerns or require a professional hearing diagnosis.