What to expect at your free hearing assessment

Are you a first-time visitor? 

Here's what you can expect on your first hearing assessment*

At HearingLife, we take the time to get to know each first-time visitor. The initial conversation will addresses your concerns about hearing and relevant medical history. Then our hearing care professionals will inspect your ears, check for earwax (also known as cerumen) and for any foreign objects. These might be blocking your ear canals, which may lead to conductive hearing loss. We will also look for damage to your eardrum(s), infection or other abnormalities. If necessary, we will refer you to a medical doctor, most likely your primary care physician or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, for treatment.

Initially, we will inspect your ears and use various methods to assess* your hearing. You will sit in a soundproof room or sound booth and wear headphones. We will ask you to listen to and respond to various tones, speech sounds and voices. (This is when we will ask your friend or family member to take part in the testing, so we can assess how well you understand a familiar voice).

Your responses will be recorded on an audiogram and the results will help indicate if you have an aidable hearing loss or not. We are happy to answer any questions and fully review your results with you. After that, we can discuss next steps.

Don't forget...

Remember to bring a close friend or family member. They take part in your "familiar voice testing" when we assess how well you understand speech you hear often.

Understanding causes of hearing loss

Most hearing loss is not due to injury or physical issues, but damage to the hairs on your inner ear caused by noise exposure. This hearing loss, called sensorineural loss, is often treated by wearing hearing aids. Your hearing assessment results may be recorded on an audiogram. HearingLife has several ways to assess your hearing – and our team will explain every step of the way, as well as discuss the results.

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Be confident that you heard right

Loneliness, depression and dementia – scientists have linked all of these to hearing loss. Compared to the general population, people with untreated hearing loss have higher unemployment rates. But with hearing aids, you can re-engage with your loved ones, take an active part in meetings and be confident that you are not “missing anything” being said around you. Once people start wearing them, most find that wearing hearing aids are like glasses – easy, comfortable and vital to your daily life.

Identifying areas of weakness

If you have a hearing loss that warrants amplification, you may be a candidate for hearing aids. In most cases, patients need two aids, also called binaural fit.

Is this right for you? We will discuss the best solutions for your individual needs after we have assessed your hearing.