What is the National Hearing Test?

 

The National Hearing Test is a quick and easy-to-take screening test provided by telephone.  The test presents spoken digits in a background of noise, after which the test taker enters the digits on the telephone keypad.  It is an inexpensive, scientifically validated method to determine whether your hearing is within normal limits.  If you fail the test, you should seek a more complete hearing evaluation.  For a more complete explanation, see Get Started. back to top...

 

 

How long does the hearing screening take?

 

It should take about 4 minutes for each ear. back to top...

 

 

How do I enter my responses to the test?

 

After you hear a three-digit sequence, please use the keypad on your telephone to enter the digits. back to top...

 

 

What kind of phone should I use to take the hearing screening?

 

It is best to use a telephone that plugs into a wall-mounted jack and has a corded handset, as this offers a better and more consistent sound quality than cell phones. Having the keypad on the telephone base avoids the awkwardness of using the receiver for both hearing and entering the numbers you hear. If you do not have access to a telephone with a corded receiver, be sure your telephone is providing clearly audible sound that is free of noise or distortion. Note that the National Hearing Test was standardized for use with wired landline telephones. The sound quality of other types of phones may not be good enough for proper testing and may adversely affect test scores. back to top...

 

 

Is it okay to use a cell phone?

 

For the most reliable results, we recommend that you do not.  Cell phones often have poor or unreliable connections that introduce unpredictable amounts of distortion.  Failing the test on a cell phone would not be a clear indication of a hearing problem. back to top...

 

 

Why should I take the test in a quiet location?

 

Even though a room may seem quiet enough for a phone conversation, background noises can interfere with your ability to hear the sounds and concentrate on the test.  Even an occasional noise can be distracting enough to affect the results.  So please find a very quiet room where noise and other distractions are minimized.  This will reduce the chances of getting invalid test results. back to top...

 

 

How do I get my unique Access Code to take the screening?

 

Once you have paid for the test, you will immediately receive your Access Code.  To pay for the test, click here. Right after you have paid, your Access Code will appear. back to top...

 

 

How do I pay for the screening?

 

To pay for the test, go to the Get Started page.  Online purchases of the test require a credit or debit card. back to top...

 

 

Why is there an $8.00 charge for the National Hearing Test?

 

The National Hearing Test is provided on a nonprofit basis.  It has no financial connections with any hearing products or services.  (Free tests are typically offered by organizations selling hearing aids or providing services for a fee.)  The $8 fee helps defray the costs of making it widely available to the public and processing test data; any remaining money goes to support further research on hearing loss. back to top...

 

 

The test said my Access Code was invalid when I tried to use it a second time. Why?

 

An Access Code is good for only one test.  If you want to take the test a second time, you must pay for it again.  To pay for another test, go to the Get Started page.  If you believe that your test was improperly terminated or for some reason you were not given your test results, please send us an email at support@nationalhearingtest.org. Include the Access Code you used so we can check your test results.  You will be sent your results by email or, if there was an error in the administration of the test, you will be sent another Access Code without charge. back to top...

 

 

Will my health insurance pay for the test?

 

It is unlikely that your health insurance will pay for the test. back to top...

 

 

When do I get the results of my hearing screening?

 

Immediately after the hearing screening.  As soon as both ears have been tested, the results will be reported to you over the telephone.  You will be told the individual results for the right ear and the left ear.  Please have pen and paper handy to write down the results.  back to top...

 

 

What kind of results do I get?

 

You will told the individual results for your right ear and your left ear in the following terms:

“Normal” or “Slightly Below Normal” or “Poor.” back to top...

 

 

What should I do with the results?

 

If your hearing screening indicates that your hearing is not normal, you should have a complete hearing evaluation by a certified hearing professional.  If your results are in the “Normal” range but you still have concerns about your hearing, we encourage you to seek a complete hearing evaluation.  To find a hearing professional near you, please see the directories of professionals in the next question. back to top...

 

 

How can I find a certified hearing professional in my area?

 

You can ask your physician or use the following directories on the websites of professional organizations that certify or license audiologists.

American Academy of Audiology directory

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association directory back to top...

 

 

What is the difference between a hearing screening and a full-scale hearing evaluation?

 

The National Hearing Test is a hearing screening test, designed to provide a quick, preliminary check of your hearing to see if you should seek a more complete evaluation.  A full-scale hearing evaluation is much more involved and is administered by a certified or licensed hearing professional.  A complete hearing evaluation might start with taking your case history and doing a visual examination of your ear canal by means of an otoscope.  After that, a selection of tests is used to determine the specific nature of your hearing problem. The procedure used depends in part on your age and other factors.  The evaluation might entail a series of tests, such as pure-tone testing, speech-recognition testing, middle-ear testing, auditory brainstem testing, and/or otoacoustic emissions testing, as determined by your audiologist.  Treatment options, if needed, will also be discussed with you by your audiologist, including but not limited to hearing aids. back to top...

 

 

What sort of hearing problem does the National Hearing Test detect?

 

The National Hearing Test is designed to measure functional hearing ability, specifically the ability to understand speech in the presence of interfering noise. This ability is impaired in persons with the most common form of hearing problem, often referred to as sensorineural hearing loss or presbycusis. It is the hearing problem that is most common in persons above middle age, especially in males, but also in females. back to top...

 

 

What sorts of hearing problems does the National Hearing Test NOT detect?

 

Screening tests of the type used in the National Hearing Test might not detect conductive deafness. In this disorder, nerves of the inner ear are healthy, but sound energy cannot reach them due to a problem in the ear canal or in the middle ear. There are also rare but serious conditions, such as acoustic neuromas (tumors on the eighth cranial nerve), that might not be detected by a functional screening test. If you have conditions such as dizziness, tingling sensations in your face, headaches, or ringing in your ears, that seem to be associated with a hearing problem, you should definitely see a doctor. The incidence of acoustic neuromas has been estimated to be under one in ten thousand adults, perhaps as rare as one in one hundred thousand, but persistent symptoms including those listed should not be ignored. Therefore, if you suspect you have a problem with your hearing even though you passed a screening test such as the National Hearing Test, you are strongly encouraged to visit a certified audiologist or other hearing specialist for a more complete hearing assessment. If you believe you have a hearing problem, the odds are that you are right.  back to top...

 

 

I can’t afford to see an audiologist or buy hearing aids.  What options are there for me?

 

Some sources of financial assistance are discussed on a website made available by the National Institute for Deafness and other Communication Disorders.  (NIDCD is a branch of the US National Institutes of Health.)  Click here back to top...

 

 

I already wear hearing aids.  Can I take the test?

 

If you have a question about the effectiveness of your hearing aids, we recommend that you consult a certified hearing professional.  Of course, you could take the test if you remove your aids; however, it is unlikely that you will learn anything from a screening test that you do not already know. back to top...

 

 

Can children take the National Hearing Test?

 

The National Hearing Test has not been validated for use by children.  If you have concerns about your child’s hearing, we strongly recommend that you consult a certified hearing professional as soon as possible.  It is very important to deal with a child’s hearing problems as early as possible because hearing difficulties can profoundly affect a child’s development in many different ways.  Language and cognitive development might be significantly delayed by hearing impairment. back to top...

 

 

Does the test take into account ear wax in my ears?

 

No, it does not.  If you are concerned about ear wax, you should consult your physician or an audiologist.  Hearing loss caused by excessive ear wax is a form of conductive deafness.  Note that the National Hearing Test is not designed to detect conductive deafness; it is primarily designed to detect hearing loss that occurs with age or as a result of exposure to intense noises. back to top...

 

 

Are all telephone tests of hearing reliable?  How can a telephone test be any good?

 

All telephone tests for hearing screening are NOT the same.  When telephone hearing screenings use pure tones (such as those used in hearing tests at a clinic), the loudness of the tones cannot be reliably controlled; consequently, your hearing ability cannot be properly assessed.  In contrast, the National Hearing Test uses a Digits-In-Noise test (that is, spoken digits in a background of noise), which is largely unaffected by the loudness (within the typical loudness range of telephones). back to top...

 

 

How was the National Hearing Test developed?

 

In 2004, hearing scientists in the Netherlands introduced the Dutch National Hearing Test, a telephone test using spoken digits in a background of white noise.  Extensive research on this type of screening test has shown it to be a very good predictor of performance on a more complete battery of tests given in a hearing clinic.  Because these screening tests are quick, easy, inexpensive, and valid, several other countries, including the U.S., have developed their own version.  In the U.S., the National Hearing Test was developed and validated with funding from the National Institutes of Health in a collaborative effort by Communication Disorders Technology, Inc., Indiana University, and VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam. back to top...

 

 

What is "National" about the National Hearing Test?

 

It is nationally available in the U.S. in the same way that national hearing tests are provided in many other countries.  The United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, and Australia have developed and introduced their own versions of a telephone hearing screening, all using digit sequences presented in noise.   These countries developed versions based on their own languages; the U.S. version uses English with a General American dialect.  As in other countries, the NHT has no ties to providers of commercial hearing services or manufacturers of devices for hearing, including hearing aids.  As in other countries, the NHT is provided on a nonprofit basis. back to top...

 

 

Why do you want to know my age and sex?

 

This is solely for research purposes by the hearing scientists who have been involved in the research and development of the National Hearing Test.  The information will not be shared. back to top...

 

 

Does the National Hearing Test have any financial arrangements with clinics or hearing aid companies?

 

No, the National Hearing Test does not have and has never had financial connections with any hearing products or services.  The funding for the development of the National Hearing Test came from the National Institutes of Health.  The costs of making it available to the public will be covered by a modest charge ($8); without this small fee, this service would not be sustainable. back to top...

 

 

Is it safe to enter my information to your website?

 

Yes, the website has been made secure for credit card transactions with Authorize.net, which is a respected leader in managing online transactions.  Your personal information will not be shared.  Click here for our privacy and security policies. back to top...

 

 

Why is the copyright for the National Hearing Test held by Communications Disorders Technology, Inc.?

 

Communication Disorders Technology, Inc., is the research and development company behind the creation of the National Hearing Test.  The company began in 1989 and has developed products and services for addressing language disorders.  It has received funding from the National Institutes of Health for several research projects, including the National Hearing Test.  It provides the test on a nonprofit basis.  back to top...