Free Hearing Checks vs Full Diagnostic Hearing Assessments: What’s the Victorian Hearing Difference?
Author: Sandra Lee, Victorian Hearing Audiologist
When it comes to your hearing health, understanding the difference between a free hearing check and a full diagnostic hearing assessment is essential. While both have their place, they serve very different purposes. Choosing the right one can make all the difference in identifying and managing hearing concerns effectively.
What Is a Free Hearing Check?
A free hearing check (sometimes called a hearing screening) is a quick, initial check that gives you an indication of whether your hearing is within normal limits. These checks are often offered at community events, in shopping centres, or through outreach programs and take around 10–15 minutes. They can be conducted by staff who are not university trained qualified audiologists. Sometimes, they can also be on an iPad in your local pharmacy as you wait in line for your prescription.
During a free hearing check:
- You’ll typically respond to a series of tones to see if you can hear sounds at certain pitch levels administered through headphones
- The screening will tell you whether a hearing loss might be present, but it won’t tell you what type, why, or how severe it might be.
Free hearing checks are a quick and useful way to inform you of your hearing levels. However, they don’t give the complete picture of your hearing health, whereas a full diagnostic hearing assessment can!
What Is a Full Diagnostic Hearing Assessment?
With 20 years history in helping others hear well and live well, Victorian Hearing clinicians often hear our clients saying “oh I’ve never had that done before” or “my last check was not this long”. This is because a full diagnostic hearing assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of your hearing performed by one of our university-qualified audiologists assessing all aspects of the auditory pathway. From physical ear health, middle ear examination, inner ear cochlear testing, through to speech understanding and listening in the presence of noise, this detailed assessment takes place in a sound-treated environment and typically takes around 45–60 minutes depending on your individual needs.
A full assessment includes:
- Otoscopy – visual examination of the physical ear. Some clinics have microscopes for extra magnification to see the smallest of changes.
- Pure tone audiometry — measures your hearing sensitivity across a wide range of frequencies.
- Speech audiometry — tests how well you understand conversational speech in quiet and in noise.
- Middle ear function evaluations such as tympanometry.
- Discussion of your hearing history and lifestyle impact.
- Detailed explanation of your results and what they mean for your everyday listening.
It doesn’t just tell you if a hearing loss might exist, as often our friends and family can often catch that for us, it tells you what type of hearing loss, how severe it is, and when appropriate what your best treatment options are.
Why Choose a Full Diagnostic Hearing Assessment?
While free hearing checks are great for raising awareness, they can only screen for potential issues. A full diagnostic assessment, on the other hand:
- Gives you a professional, in-depth analysis of your auditory system.
- Helps identify medical or conductive issues that may require referral or urgent medical care.
- Allows us to tailor solutions such as hearing strategies or hearing aids based on your unique hearing profile.
How We Help You at Victorian Hearing
At Victorian Hearing, our team of independent audiologists offer full diagnostic hearing assessments across multiple Melbourne locations. We’re a locally owned, commission-free, independent clinic committed to unbiased, high-quality care. Our approach is to empower you with information and personalised recommendations rather than push products or sales. We provide solutions across all manufacturers available in Australia.
Whether you’re noticing a change in your hearing, having difficulty following conversations, or you simply want a comprehensive baseline evaluation, a diagnostic hearing assessment gives you the most accurate, useful results to guide your hearing care journey.
Ready to Understand Your Hearing Better?
A free hearing check is a great first step but if you’re serious about understanding your hearing and planning a personalized strategy, a full diagnostic hearing assessment is the best place to start. If you have a pension in Australia, you may be eligible for the Government Hearing Services Program which fully subsidizes annual diagnostic hearing assessments.
Book your comprehensive hearing assessment with Victorian Hearing today and take control of your hearing health with expert support you can trust. With eleven clinics across Melbourne, including Geelong and Mornington, you’re sure to find a friendly smile and expert support from the dedicated team at Victorian Hearing. Call (03) 9558 8842 or book online.