Hearing Tests in Ontario
What is a Hearing Test?
A hearing test at Hearing Solutions is a comprehensive audiometric evaluation performed by a registered audiologist or hearing instrument specialist. It measures your ability to detect sounds across frequencies and identifies the type and degree of hearing loss. Results are explained the same day. Free for patients 50 and over, $95 for patients under 50.
What Does a Hearing Test Actually Measure
A standard hearing test at Hearing Solutions includes pure-tone audiometry, where you respond to tones played at different pitches and volumes through headphones, and speech recognition testing, which measures how clearly you understand words in quiet and noisy conditions. Together, these two tests give your clinician a complete picture of how your hearing is functioning.
Your results are recorded on a chart called an audiogram, which maps exactly where your hearing is strong and where it may have changed. Your audiologist or hearing instrument specialist will walk you through your audiogram at the end of your appointment, in plain language, with no waiting for a follow-up.
Types of Hearing Tests
A full hearing assessment at Hearing Solutions typically includes more than one type of test. Each one measures a different aspect of your hearing, giving your clinician a complete picture of how your ears are functioning.
Pure-Tone Audiometry
This is the core of most hearing assessments. You’ll sit in a sound-treated booth wearing headphones and press a button each time you hear a tone. The tones vary in pitch (frequency) and volume (decibels), mapping the softest sounds you can detect across the full range of human hearing. The results are plotted on your audiogram.
Speech Recognition Testing
Pure-tone audiometry tells your clinician how loud a sound needs to be for you to hear it. Speech testing tells them how clearly you understand it. You’ll listen to a series of words at a comfortable volume and repeat them back. This is one of the most important parts of the assessment because it reflects how your hearing performs in real conversations.
Bone Conduction Testing
If your pure-tone results suggest hearing loss, your clinician may use bone conduction testing to identify where the problem is occurring. A small device placed behind the ear sends sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, bypassing the ear canal. This helps distinguish between different types of hearing loss.
Tympanometry
This test checks how well your eardrum and middle ear are functioning. It doesn’t require any response from you. A small probe is placed at the entrance of the ear canal and measures how your eardrum responds to gentle changes in air pressure. It can detect issues like fluid behind the eardrum, earwax blockage, or middle ear infections.
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What Your Hearing Test Results Mean
After your tests are complete, your clinician will sit down with you and walk you through your audiogram. This is a graph that shows the softest sounds you can hear at each frequency, from low-pitched sounds on the left to high-pitched sounds on the right.
How to Read Your Audiogram
The vertical axis shows volume in decibels (dB). The lower on the chart, the softer the sound. The horizontal axis shows frequency in hertz (Hz), from low tones like a rumbling engine on the left, to high tones like a bird chirping on the right. Each ear is plotted separately, so you can see if one ear differs from the other.
Your results can fall into one of a few categories:
- Normal Hearing: (0-25dB) – you hear the full range of sounds without difficulty.
- Mild Hearing Loss: (26-40dB) – you may struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments or miss softer speech.
- Moderate Hearing Loss: (41-70dB) – conversations become difficult without hearing technology, especially on the phone or at a distance.
- Severe Hearing Loss: (71-90dB) – most speech is difficult to hear without amplification.
- Profound Hearing Loss: (91 dB+) – very limited hearing without significant amplification or other intervention.
What Happens if Hearing Loss is Found
If your results show any degree of hearing loss, your clinician will explain clearly what it means for your day-to-day life. They'll discuss whether hearing aids are recommended, what style and technology level would suit your lifestyle, and what funding options are available to you. There is no pressure to make any decisions on the day.
If your hearing is within normal range, your clinician will confirm this and may recommend when to return for a follow-up, typically every one to two years for adults over 50, or sooner if you notice any changes.
One Result That Surprises Many Patients
Hearing loss is often gradual and goes unnoticed for years. The average person waits seven years between first noticing a problem and seeking help. Your audiogram may reveal a pattern of early loss at certain frequencies, particularly high frequencies, before you've noticed any obvious symptoms in daily life. Catching it early makes a significant difference to long-term outcomes.
Who Should Get a Hearing Test?
A hearing test is recommended for anyone who has noticed changes in how they hear. Because hearing loss is gradual, many people aren’t sure whether what they’re experiencing is significant enough to act on. If any of the following sounds familiar, it’s worth booking a test.
You may benefit from a hearing test if you:
- Ask people to repeat themselves more often than you used to.
- Find yourself turning up the TV or radio volume louder than others prefer.
- Struggle to follow conversations in noisy places like restaurants, family gatherings, or open offices.
- Find phone calls or video calls harder to follow than they used to be.
- Hear a buzzing, ringing, or humming sound in one or both ears (tinnitus).
- Feel more mentally tired after conversations than you used to.
- Find yourself withdrawing from social situations because following along feels like too much effort.
You don’t need to be experiencing all of these. Even one or two is a good reason to get checked.
Adults 50 and over
Age-related hearing loss, known as presbycusis, is one of the most common conditions affecting Canadians over 50, and it develops so gradually that most people don’t notice until it’s been progressing for years. A regular hearing test every one to two years is the best way to stay ahead of it. At Hearing Solutions, your test is completely free if you’re 50 or over.
Adults under 50
Hearing loss isn’t only an age-related condition. Noise exposure, ear infections, certain medications, and genetics can all affect hearing at any age. If you work in a loud environment, listen to music at high volume regularly, or have noticed any of the symptoms above, a $95 hearing test is a worthwhile investment.
Children aged 5 and over
Hearing loss in children can affect speech development, language learning, and academic performance, often before anyone notices a problem. If your child frequently mishears words, seems inattentive, or has delayed speech development, a pediatric hearing test is worth arranging.
Specialized Hearing Assessments
In addition to standard hearing tests, Hearing Solutions offers specialized assessments for specific needs. If you or someone you care for falls into one of the following categories, a dedicated assessment may be more appropriate than a routine hearing test.
Workplace Hearing Tests
If you work in a loud environment like construction, manufacturing, agriculture, or anywhere noise levels regularly exceed safe limits, you may be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing Solutions offers baseline and annual audiometric testing to help employers meet their obligations under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and to monitor employees’ hearing over time. Early detection is the most effective way to prevent permanent noise-induced hearing loss.
Pediatric Hearing Assessments (Ages 5 and Up)
Children’s hearing is assessed differently from adults. Younger patients require age-appropriate testing techniques that don’t rely on the same verbal responses used in a standard booth test. Hearing loss in children can affect speech development, language learning, and academic performance, often before any obvious signs appear. Early identification makes a significant difference in outcomes.
Hearing Test Pricing in Ontario
At Hearing Solutions, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to understanding your hearing health.
FREE - Patients 50 & over
If you’re 50 or over, your hearing test is completely free. No referral, no catch, no obligation to purchase anything afterward.
$95 - Patients under 50
For patients under 50, the fee for a full hearing assessment is $95. Many extended health plans cover this cost and our team can help you check your coverage before your appointment.
Does OHIP Cover Hearing Tests?
OHIP stopped covering routine hearing tests for adults in 2001. For most adults, a hearing test at a private clinic is not covered by the province regardless of age. If your family doctor or ENT specialist refers you for a diagnostic hearing assessment due to a specific medical concern, that test may be covered when performed in a hospital or specialist clinic, but a routine hearing test at Hearing Solutions falls outside that coverage.
Get Started
By booking your hearing test with a trusted hearing healthcare professional, you are taking the first and most important step on a journey that will reintroduce you to the world of sound and the joys of communication
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FAQ's
A hearing test is the assessment process. Your clinician runs a series of tests to measure your hearing. An audiogram is the chart that records your results, plotting your hearing thresholds at different frequencies and volumes.
A full assessment at Hearing Solutions includes pure-tone audiometry, speech recognition testing, bone conduction testing, and tympanometry. Your clinician determines which combination is appropriate based on your results and any specific concerns.
Adults 50 and over should get a hearing test every one to two years. If you work in a noisy environment or have a family history of hearing loss, annual testing is recommended regardless of age.
No. OHIP stopped covering routine hearing tests for adults in 2001. For patients 50 and over, Hearing Solutions offers testing at no charge. For patients under 50, the fee is $95. Many extended health plans cover this and our team can help you verify your coverage.
Yes. We offer pediatric hearing assessments using age-appropriate testing techniques suited to younger patients. Contact your nearest Hearing Solutions location to find out more or to book a pediatric assessment.
Yes. We provide baseline and annual audiometric testing for employers to support OHSA compliance and monitor employees in noise-exposed roles. Contact us directly to discuss a workplace hearing testing program for your team.
You can book online, call any Hearing Solutions location, or walk in. No referral required. Testing is free for patients 50 and over.
