Online hearing tests are a useful starting point to see whether you may have hearing loss. They’re convenient and easy to use. Your results could be skewed if you don’t follow every instruction, including calibrating your volume properly. Moreover, online hearing tests aren’t as comprehensive as in-office hearing tests, and they can’t diagnose the type or origin of your hearing loss. Audiologists have expertise and better tools, and they work in sound-treated rooms with professional equipment, per Healthy Hearing. Even if your online test doesn’t detect any issues, if you’re experiencing any issues with your hearing or ears, it’s worth going in for an in-person exam.
Online tests typically consist of just one or two of the following test types:
- Pure-tone, which involves listening to tones of different frequencies
- Speech-in-noise or background noise, which entails listening for a specific sound over background noise
- Speech audiometry, which tests how well you can hear spoken audio at different volumes
An in-office hearing exam can include all of the above test types and more. These include (but aren’t limited to):
- Bone conduction testing, which tests specific parts of the ear for issues such as fluid blockage
- Tympanometry, which tests how well your eardrum moves
- Otoacoustic emissions test, which looks at your inner ear function
- Physical examination of the ear’s structures
Online hearing tests are usually free, but in-office hearing exams may come at a cost. If you have health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, annual hearing tests are likely covered. Otherwise, the cost will vary by the practitioner or location.
One 2019 study found that home hearing tests are an “accurate and cost-effective” method of measuring hearing, specifically with pure-tone tests. Still, most online tests include a disclaimer that they’re not intended to replace a professional exam, which remains the best way to accurately measure your hearing health.
The best way to get an accurate online hearing test result is to use high-quality headphones in a silent room. An app like Mimi, used with calibrated headphones, is a surefire way to get as accurate results as possible because it measures your background noise for you and adjusts the volume in-app.
If you’re experiencing ear pain, fluid, tinnitus, buzzing or a sudden change in your hearing, you should see a professional for a hearing exam rather than take an online test.
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