Hearing Testing Service
What to expect at a hearing test
Keep scrolling to determine which hearing evaluation is right for you and to see our hearing test prices.
Every hearing evaluation that we offer at Sound Access will include the following:
- Comprehensive Case History
- We get to know you and place an emphasis on what your priorities and listening needs are in directing your individualized care.
- We get to know you and place an emphasis on what your priorities and listening needs are in directing your individualized care.
- Otoscopy
- Otoscopy is a visual inspection of your ear canal and ear drum using an instrument called an otoscope. During the visual inspection of your ear, our audiologist will determine if you have any blockages from earwax. If you have excessive earwax, earwax removal will be recommended.
- Otoscopy is a visual inspection of your ear canal and ear drum using an instrument called an otoscope. During the visual inspection of your ear, our audiologist will determine if you have any blockages from earwax. If you have excessive earwax, earwax removal will be recommended.
- Middle Ear Testing
- Middle ear testing starts with tympanometry. Tympanometry is a safe way to take objective measures of the middle ear system. Tympanometry can provide information about how well the middle ear is working by measuring how well your eardrum is moving. Tympanometry can help make sure there is not a perforation (or hole) in the eardrum and can help rule out issues with pressure or fluid build up in the middle ear cavity. We also test the acoustic reflex in your ears. The acoustic reflex is the reflexive contraction of the middle ear muscles in response to certain sound stimulation. Acoustic reflex measurements provide information about the middle and inner ear, as well as the seventh and eighth nerve pathways.
- Pure Tone Testing
- The next step of every hearing evaluation is pure tone testing. Pure tone testing is a tonal response test used to determine your hearing sensitivity (the softest level you hear) at various frequencies. We test the octave frequency bands of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz, as well as the inter-octave bands at 3000 and 6000 Hz, and, if needed, at 750 and 1500 Hz. Your hearing test may also include extended frequency testing. Testing will be conducted either through headphones or insert earphones. If a hearing loss is found, bone conduction testing will be completed to help determine the type of hearing loss. Bone conduction testing bypasses the outer and middle ear and tests your sensory hearing directly so that we can determine if your hearing loss is caused by the outer or middle ear, by the sensory portion of your hearing, or both.
- Speech Recognition and Word Recognition Testing
- Speech testing is used to provide information about how well you hear and understand spoken words. The goal of speech recognition testing is to determine the softest level that you can hear and understand words. Word recognition testing looks at how well you hear and understand words at a more comfortable listening level.
- Speech testing is used to provide information about how well you hear and understand spoken words. The goal of speech recognition testing is to determine the softest level that you can hear and understand words. Word recognition testing looks at how well you hear and understand words at a more comfortable listening level.
- Results
- Providing you with a detailed explanation of all of your results is of the upmost importance to our audiologist. She wants to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of your hearing test results, including what the results mean and how those results translate into your day-to-day listening activities. You will also be given a copy of your results to take with you.
- Providing you with a detailed explanation of all of your results is of the upmost importance to our audiologist. She wants to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of your hearing test results, including what the results mean and how those results translate into your day-to-day listening activities. You will also be given a copy of your results to take with you.
Contact us to learn more to or to schedule your hearing evaluation.
Getting your hearing tested is a fundamental, foundational step toward caring for your hearing health. The vast majority of Americans recognize the importance of maintaining hearing health. This presents a sharp contrast to the surprisingly low percentage of Americans who have actually had hearing testing in the past five years. When was the last time you had your eyes checked? What about a dentist visit? Your ears are just as important!
Which hearing evaluation is right for you?
- Hearing Wellness Evaluation $100.00
- This is a great option if you have never had your hearing tested or if it's been several years since your last hearing test and you are just starting out on your hearing wellness journey. If you want to establish a baseline to determine how well you are hearing, this evaluation is a great place to start.
- Includes:
- Otoscopy
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic Relfex Thresholds
- Pure Tone Testing 250-8,000 Hz
- Speech Audiometry Threshold (SRT)
- Word Recognition (WR)
- Detailed review of results and Hearing Wellness Plan recommendations
- Add-on options: Extended frequency Testing 125 and 9,000-20,000 Hz $25.00
- Otoscopy
- This is a great option if you have never had your hearing tested or if it's been several years since your last hearing test and you are just starting out on your hearing wellness journey. If you want to establish a baseline to determine how well you are hearing, this evaluation is a great place to start.
- Music Industry Hearing Evaluation $215.00
- This hearing evaluation was specifically designed for anyone and everyone working in and around the music industry. If being exposed to loud music is part of what you do either professionally or just passionately, this evaluation is for you.
- Includes:
- Otoscopy
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic Reflex Thresholds
- Pure Tone Testing 250-8,000 Hz
- Extended Frequency Testing 125 and 9,000-20,000 Hz
- Speech Audiometry Threshold (SRT)
- Word Recognition (WR)
- Speech in Noise Testing
- Detailed review of results, initial consultation, and Hearing Wellness Plan recommendations
- You also receive a pair of universal-fit, filtered earplugs
- Otoscopy
- This hearing evaluation was specifically designed for anyone and everyone working in and around the music industry. If being exposed to loud music is part of what you do either professionally or just passionately, this evaluation is for you.
- Tinnitus Evaluation $300.00
- We will take a look at how tinnitus is effecting your daily life. Our tinnitus evaluation includes testing services that will help determine next steps for treating and managing your tinnitus symptoms. If you suffer from tinnitus, this evaluation is the first step towards decreasing the impact tinnitus has on your day-to-day activities.
- Includes
- Otoscopy
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic Reflex Thresholds
- Pure Tone Testing 250-8,000 Hz
- Extended Frequency Testing 125 and 9,000-20,000 Hz
- Speech Audiometry Thresholds (SRT)
- Word Recognition (WR)
- Speech in Noise Testing
- Tinnitus Pitch Matching
- Tinnitus Frequency Matching
- Loudness Discomfort Level (LDL)
- Tinnitus Minimal Masking Level
- Tinnitus Questionnaire
- Detailed review of results and Hearing Wellness Plan recommendations
- You will also receive a pair of universal-fit, filtered hearing protection
- Otoscopy
- We will take a look at how tinnitus is effecting your daily life. Our tinnitus evaluation includes testing services that will help determine next steps for treating and managing your tinnitus symptoms. If you suffer from tinnitus, this evaluation is the first step towards decreasing the impact tinnitus has on your day-to-day activities.
- Comprehensive Hearing Aid Evaluation $300.00
- Our comprehensive hearing aid evaluation follows best practices in patient care to ensure that your hearing aid journey gets off to a great start. This thorough evaluation offers an extensive overall picture of your hearing which will help guide the hearing aid fitting process.
- Includes:
- Otoscopy
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic Reflex Thresholds
- Pure Tone Testing 250-8,000 Hz
- Extended Frequency Testing 125 and 9,000-20,000 Hz
- Speech Audiometry Threshold (SRT)
- Word Recognition (WR)
- Speech in Noise Testing
- Most Comfortable Level (MDL)
- Loudness Discomfort Level (LDL)
- Questionnaire and Needs Assessment
- Ear Scanning or Earmold Impression
- Detailed review of results and initial recommendations
- Otoscopy
- Our comprehensive hearing aid evaluation follows best practices in patient care to ensure that your hearing aid journey gets off to a great start. This thorough evaluation offers an extensive overall picture of your hearing which will help guide the hearing aid fitting process.
- Hearing Aid Evaluation Only $200.00
- If you have already had your hearing evaluated, either at Sound Access or with another certified provider within the past 6 months, hearing loss was determined, and you are ready to discuss hearing aids, then this test is right for you. If you had your hearing tested at an outside facility, you must provide our audiologist with a copy of that test in order to move forward with this evaluation option.
- Includes:
- Otoscopy
- Extended Frequency Testing 125 and 9,000-20,000 Hz
- Speech in Noise Testing
- Most Comfortable Loudness Level (MCL)
- Loudness Discomfort Level (LDL)
- Questionnaire and Needs Assessment
- Ear Scanning or Earmold Impressions
- Detailed review of results and initial recommendations
- Otoscopy
- If you have already had your hearing evaluated, either at Sound Access or with another certified provider within the past 6 months, hearing loss was determined, and you are ready to discuss hearing aids, then this test is right for you. If you had your hearing tested at an outside facility, you must provide our audiologist with a copy of that test in order to move forward with this evaluation option.
- Hearing Aid User Yearly Re-Evaluation $150.00
- We recommend annual hearing evaluations, so this test is perfect for the current hearing aid user who is ready for their yearly hearing test.
- Includes:
- Otoscopy
- Tympanometry
- Acoustic Reflexes
- Pure Tone 250-8000 Hz
- Extended Frequency Testing 125 and 9,000 and 20,000 Hz
- Speech Audiometry Threshold (SRT)
Word Recognition (WR) - Speech in Noise Testing
- Detailed review of results and updated recommendations
- Otoscopy
At Sound Access, we believe that, when possible, you should get a baseline hearing test before hearing loss occurs and we believe that you should have your hearing tested annually, even if you aren't noticing changes in your hearing because subtle changes in hearing are often not very noticeable in our day-to-day. Annual testing is an important component in hearing healthcare and a key factor in determining an individualized plan both for maintaining hearing through prevention and for treatment of any hearing loss that may have occurred.
For a complete list and brief description of all of our services:
Hearing Evaluations
When should I get my hearing tested?
At Sound Access, we recommend that you have your hearing tested every year or sooner if you are experiencing new or worsening symptoms.
Who should get their hearing tested?
Everyone.
Contact
Depending on the type of hearing evaluation that is right for you, one or more of the following test may be included:
Audiological Testing Services
Additional hearing test services
- Extended Frequency Testing
- Traditional hearing evaluations test your hearing at frequencies from 250-8000 Hz, the range of frequencies that speech sounds fall within. At Sound Access, we recognize that testing the extended high frequency range, out to 20,000 Hz, can provide valuable information. Music has a much broader bandwidth than speech and for those working in the music industry, knowing how you hear past 8000 Hz can be essential in developing your hearing wellness plan. Extended high frequency testing isn't just for music pros though, studies indicate that we make use of high frequencies beyond 8000 Hz when trying to understand speech in challenging environments, such as a noisy, highly reverberant room and there is evidence to suggest that the extended high frequencies are important in maintaining optimal hearing overall. Testing extended high frequencies can serve as an early warning sign for loud sound exposure and be useful for actively monitoring prevention and intervention measures. Additionally, how someone is hearing in the extended high frequency range can sometimes offer at least a partial explanation for otherwise unexplained hearing difficulties when someone is hearing in the normal range for traditionally tested frequencies. Extended frequency testing at Sound Access includes testing 125, 9000, 10000, 11200, 12500, 14000, 16000, 18000, and 20000 Hz.
- Traditional hearing evaluations test your hearing at frequencies from 250-8000 Hz, the range of frequencies that speech sounds fall within. At Sound Access, we recognize that testing the extended high frequency range, out to 20,000 Hz, can provide valuable information. Music has a much broader bandwidth than speech and for those working in the music industry, knowing how you hear past 8000 Hz can be essential in developing your hearing wellness plan. Extended high frequency testing isn't just for music pros though, studies indicate that we make use of high frequencies beyond 8000 Hz when trying to understand speech in challenging environments, such as a noisy, highly reverberant room and there is evidence to suggest that the extended high frequencies are important in maintaining optimal hearing overall. Testing extended high frequencies can serve as an early warning sign for loud sound exposure and be useful for actively monitoring prevention and intervention measures. Additionally, how someone is hearing in the extended high frequency range can sometimes offer at least a partial explanation for otherwise unexplained hearing difficulties when someone is hearing in the normal range for traditionally tested frequencies. Extended frequency testing at Sound Access includes testing 125, 9000, 10000, 11200, 12500, 14000, 16000, 18000, and 20000 Hz.
- Speech in Noise Testing
- Listening to speech in background noise is significantly more difficulty than understanding speech in quiet. Speech in noise testing presents a series of sentences in a simulated "noisy" environment and can provide a more realistic picture of your speech understanding abilities.
- Listening to speech in background noise is significantly more difficulty than understanding speech in quiet. Speech in noise testing presents a series of sentences in a simulated "noisy" environment and can provide a more realistic picture of your speech understanding abilities.
- Most Comfortable Level (MCL)
- Using a speech signal, we determine the level, typically a range, that is most comfortable for you to listen to. This is not always the level in which you have maximal intelligibility, but the range at which you find speech most comfortable to listen to.
- Loudness Discomfort Level (LDL)
- Loudness discomfort level is the intensity of sound that is uncomfortably loud for a person. If you have hearing loss, you may also have reduced loudness discomfort levels. LDLs can be used to ensure that hearing aid amplification remains at a comfortable level. LDL is also used in tinnitus evaluations.
- Loudness discomfort level is the intensity of sound that is uncomfortably loud for a person. If you have hearing loss, you may also have reduced loudness discomfort levels. LDLs can be used to ensure that hearing aid amplification remains at a comfortable level. LDL is also used in tinnitus evaluations.