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Community
June 12, 2024
7min

Online Hearing Tests: Are They Reliable and Effective?

Online hearing tests are everywhere, but can you trust them? Read our latest article to find out how accurate online hearing tests are and much more!

Author:
Nicole Brener
Online Hearing Tests: Are They Reliable and Effective?
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Can you trust online hearing tests? You've probably seen them; they are everywhere. There are apps that promise hearing test results, online quizzes and questionnaires, online hearing tests you can do with your headphones, and ones that don't even require headphones. 

Their accuracy is up for debate.

What is an online hearing test?

An online hearing test aims to measure your hearing capacity with the goal of indicating if you have hearing loss.

Most audiologists are sceptical of online hearing tests, and with good reason. Factors such as clogged ears with earwax, ear infections, and even honest self-assessment may affect the accuracy of online hearing tests, making them unreliable for determining the degree of hearing loss (if any).

The best way to find out if you have hearing loss is to visit an audiologist and get a baseline hearing test by undergoing a proper hearing screening that can help you understand how mild or severe your hearing loss is and the type of loss you have, and treatment options.

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What does an in-clinic hearing test entail?

A woman in a sound proof room wearing headphones during an in-clinic hearing test.

An in-clinic hearing test involves a medical evaluation and occurs in a sound-treated room. It starts with an otoscopy to examine the ear. Next, the audiologist sets you up with headphones that go over the ear or inserts earphones that go in your ear.

The first part of the test involves listening for the softest sounds you can hear and pressing a button to signify you heard them. During the test, the specialist also looks into bone conduction. For this, you'll be required to wear a special headband behind your ear and again will be listening to those beeping sounds.

The hearing specialist or audiologist will proceed to read the results of the test and determine the degree of hearing loss as well as personalized treatment options and recommendations. 

Conducting this examination, including the physical examination and tone testing, can pose limitations when done online. Instead, we can use online hearing tests as a screener or baseline to potentially discover hearing loss.

Are online hearing tests accurate?

Following the instructions closely is important for the online test to be as accurate as possible. For example, most online hearing tests require finding a quiet room and proper headphones. However, the quality of the headphones is also important. Headphones like AirPods or Bose deliver proper sound quality to yield more accurate results.

What are the different types of online hearing tests?

Frequency test

Frequency hearing tests involve playing a low-frequency sound up to a high-frequency sound. These types of hearing tests can provide an age range for your ears, telling you how old they are. This makes them very popular online, with promotional clickbait like “Find out how old your ears are.” However, this online hearing test fails to take into account the cochlea shape, and for this, it lacks accuracy.

Pure tone test

This hearing test plays a series of beeps, and you'll pick the softest sound. This is probably the closest to a true audiogram, measuring your hearing sensitivity across a range of sensitivities.  

Speech and noise

This test will play background noise, and you will try to decipher spoken words or numbers. This online hearing test is useful to gain an understanding of how well you can hear in noisy environments, but while it provides useful metrics, it's not enough to determine if you need hearing aids.

Conclusion

In conclusion, online hearing tests are good starting points for people who might suspect hearing loss or would like to assess their hearing health. It might give you a sense of whether you have a problem, but it won't tell you much more.

The pure tone test is an online hearing test with the potential to provide a better idea of whether you have some degree of hearing loss. However, it's still advisable to visit an audiologist and perform an in-clinic hearing test to determine your hearing health.

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Nicole Brener

Copywriter based in Miami, FL. Leads copywriting workshops and mentors women entrepreneurs at the Idea Center of Miami Dade College.

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Big News: Nagish is now FCC-certified for IP Relay Services! 🎉  Read the announcement.

Online Hearing Tests: Are They Reliable and Effective?

Key Findings

  • Workplace Impact: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals report that communication barriers hinder career mobility.
  • Healthcare Challenges: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals experience communication barriers in healthcare settings, contributing to delays in treatment.
  • Concerns About Emergency Communications: 20% of Deaf and 24.3% Hard-of-Hearing users also expressed serious concerns that communication barriers would prohibit them from contacting healthcare personnel in an emergency situation.
  • Independence Boost: Assistive technology nearly doubled rates of independence, with 60% of Deaf users and 63% of Hard-of-Hearing users reporting increased autonomy.
  • Emotional Strain: 55% of Deaf users and 83% of Hard-of-Hearing users reported emotional distress due to communication frustrations.
  • Social and Professional Opportunities: 46% of Deaf and 32.9% of Hard-of-Hearing users saw improved social and career prospects thanks to assistive technologies.

Empowering the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Through Technology: A New Era of Communication and Independence

At Nagish, we’ve seen firsthand just how much communication shapes daily life for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities. Our recent survey highlights the significant barriers they face in the workplace, healthcare settings, and in their social lives. But it also sheds light on a powerful solution: assistive technology. The results of this survey reinforce our commitment to empowering these communities and remind us why our mission matters: with access to the right tools, independence grows, opportunities expand, and well-being improves.

We collected data through a comprehensive survey involving over 300 individuals who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and currently use hearing assistive technology. The survey included 179 Deaf and 140 Hard-of-Hearing participants, with data collected in an inclusive and accessible manner to ensure that everyone could participate and share their experiences without barriers.Communication Barriers in the Workplace: Limiting Career Mobility

Communication challenges in the workplace remain one of the most significant hurdles for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals, preventing them from fully realizing their career potential. Assistive technology offers a solution by removing these barriers and expanding access to a broader range of job opportunities and career growth.

Download the PDF Report

A majority of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing participants reported that communication barriers affected their career decisions, making it harder to pursue job opportunities or advance in their careers.

Deaf Participants

Hard-of-Hearing participants

65% of Deaf users rely on assistance from hearing individuals at least once a week to communicate effectively, which can limit their ability to fully engage in dynamic work environments.

Communication Barriers in Healthcare: A Matter of Public Safety
Communication challenges are not just a workplace issue — they extend into healthcare settings, where they can directly impact individuals’ health outcomes. Accessible communication tools are essential for ensuring that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can receive timely and accurate medical care, especially in emergency situations

Many Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users face communication barriers in healthcare settings, which can lead to missed appointments, misunderstandings about medical treatments, and delayed care.

Deaf users:

62%

Hard of Hearing users:

66%

Some Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users have concerns about reaching healthcare professionals in emergencies, highlighting serious public safety risks.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Empowering Independence Through Assistive Technology
One of the most encouraging findings from our survey is just how much independence is boosted with assistive technology. This improvement in independence is not just about doing things on their own; it’s about having the confidence and ability to engage fully in both professional and personal settings.

Assistive technology has significantly increased the independence of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users in managing daily tasks, showing clear improvements after adoption.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Expanding Social and Professional Opportunities
Beyond independence, assistive technology creates connection.By removing communication barriers that keep people from joining in socially or professionallyassistive technology allows users to engage more deeply in social activities and pursue career opportunities that were previously out of reach.

Assistive technology has helped Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users expand their social networks and professional opportunities, enabling new connections and career growth.

Emotional and Psychological Impact: The Hidden Toll of Communication Barriers
People often overlook the emotional and psychological toll of communication , but they can have a profound impact on the mental well-being of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals. Assistive technology can help alleviate this emotional strain, empowering users to communicate more effectively and reducing the anxiety associated with relying on others for basic communication.

A significant number of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users experience frustration and anxiety when communicating with family and friends, leading to isolation and stress.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Why This Matters: A Call for Widespread Adoption of Assistive Technologies
The findings from our survey are clear: communication barriers continue to limit the lives of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in many areas, from the workplace to healthcare to their social lives. What’s also clear to us is that the question isn’t whether assistive technology helps—it’s how quickly we can make this powerful solution universally available.. By making these tools more accessible, we can open up new opportunities for individuals to thrive in their careers, maintain better health, and lead more independent lives.
At Nagish, we are committed to advocating for the integration of assistive technologies in all aspects of life. Whether it’s in healthcare, the workplace, or social settings, these technologies have the potential to create a more inclusive society where Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can live fully empowered lives. 
Our hope is that these findings inspire not just awareness, but action. We hope this survey creates awareness and action in promoting accessibility and inclusion for these communities. Together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their hearing abilities, has equal access to opportunities and services.