Hearing Tests & Evaluations

Some hearing aid companies offer free hearing tests but these tests may be what is referred to as a "hearing screening".

Screenings are a simplified hearing test that does not provide all the information required for a complete picture of the type of hearing loss you might have.

When you come to ONDC

• Your first hearing test will be a complete and comprehensive assessment of your hearing. This full hearing test will help to determine if you have a "conductive", "sensorineural" or "mixed" hearing loss. This information indicates whether the problem involves the outer, middle or inner ear and may assist in determining if there is a more central medical problem affecting the nerve pathways.
• A full hearing test will enable us to better determine if you require medical assessment. For example, in the case of significant wax blockage, ear infections or asymmetry of hearing.
• You will have speech discrimination testing whereby we assess your ear’s ability to discriminate speech. This is just as important as the hearing test itself as it enables our Audiologists to determine if your ear will process the amplified sounds from a hearing aid clearly.
• We may also conduct a “pressure test” (Impedence Testing). This test determines the mobility of your eardrums which is an indicator of the status your middle ear. It can help determine abnormalities of middle ear pressure, middle ear infections, stiffness of the middle ear bones as well as other medical conditions affecting the middle ear.
• You will only be assessed by university qualified Audiologists who are members of the national professional body Audiology Australia (ASA). As members of the ASA our Audiologists maintain their “Certificate of Clinical Practice” through continual professional development and uphold the highest of ethical standards.