Why do some offices give free hearing tests while others have a charge?
It is important to understand the difference between hearing tests and hearing/audiological evaluations. While both are used to measure your hearing ability, the information gathered from each test is very different. Hearing loss is not a condition by itself. It is a symptom of a change in the middle ear, inner ear, hearing nerve, or brain processing centers. • Hearing Screening — this is a fairly limited test that shows how you hear tones at their softest levels and speech at a comfortable level. This test gives little or no information about the cause of your hearing loss, part of the ear creating the hearing loss, need for medical treatment, or practical hearing in background noise. It is merely a screening tool to determine if hearing aids can help you in a general way. The “Free Hearing Test” that is offered by many sales outlets is almost always this type of limited test and is usually not reimbursed by insurance. • Diagnostic Hearing or Audiological Evaluation — this is an exten
