Rejuvenate Your Hearing: Get a Hearing Test in Richfield and Mound, MN

Are conversations feeling a bit like a game of phone tag? Missing lines in your favorite programs? Hearing loss can take you by surprise, causing you to feel disconnected and stressed out.

We believe that everybody deserves to hear clearly here at Sound Hearing Instruments. We provide complete hearing assessments for just this reason. A hearing test is an investment in your total well-being not just a simple test.

Our audiologists can identify hearing loss, even if it’s early-stage hearing loss, by using advanced technology. This auditory checkup will determine if hearing aids can help and ensure you’re not missing a single word, a single laugh, or a single detail.

Are you ready to reconnect with your world? Rediscover the enjoyment of hearing clearly and make an appointment for a hearing assessment today.

At Sound Hearing Instruments We Can Do Several Types of Hearing Test

We can provide you with a number of different hearing tests.

Pure-Tone Audiometry

This hearing test is the most common type. You will listen for a series of tones at different volumes on a pair of headphones. You will then press a button or raise your hand to indicate when you hear a tone. This test will help us determine what volume sounds at certain frequencies get lost for you.

Speech Audiometry

This test assesses your ability to understand speech. Various pre-recorded words and sentences will be played at different volumes and with different levels of background noise. The aim of this test is to identify how well you can differentiate spoken words from background noise.

Tympanometry

This test uses gentle pressure changes in the ear to measure the functionality of the middle ear. It can uncover things that can impact hearing, like fluid in the middle ear or a blockage, sometimes caused by earwax.

Hearing loss shouldn’t hinder your quality of life. Rediscover the depth and richness of sound by scheduling a simple and painless hearing test. Hearing loss, even early-stage hearing loss can be identified before it has a significant impact on your life.

Maintain your personal well-being, remain engaged in social interactions, and continue to enjoy your favorite forms of entertainment by getting prompt treatment. You’re taking the first important step towards a richer social life and clearer communication by being proactive and scheduling a hearing test. Experience the difference of healthy hearing by scheduling a hearing test today!

What Happens at a Hearing Test?

The following are some things you can expect:

You'll be in a quiet, relaxing space

In order to reduce any background noise, a soundproof booth is used during most hearing tests. You'll be given a set of headphones and seated comfortably in a chair.

Respond to sounds you hear

A series of tones and other sounds, including spoken words, will be played through the headphones by a hearing professional. All you have to do is indicate whether you can hear these sounds by pressing a button, raising your hand, or repeating what was said. The test is meant to determine your level of hearing loss, so don't worry if you can't hear some sounds!

Knowing what your results mean

A hearing professional will go over the meaning of your test results after the test is complete. They will help you understand what the results mean and answer your questions. With this knowledge, you will have a better understanding of your hearing health and whether you may need hearing aids.

Ready to Take Your Hearing Health Seriously?

Address your potential hearing loss now. Make an appointment for a hearing test and take the first step toward improved hearing!

Gaining a Clearer Understanding About Normal Hearing Ranges

Being aware of what defines a normal hearing range is key to understanding the health of your hearing. It breaks down as follows:

Decibel Power (dB): Let’s talk about the spectrum of sound. On the dB scale, quieter sounds have lower dB ratings, while louder sounds have a higher dB rating.

A Healthy Range of Hearing: Usually, even sounds below 25 dB can be heard by people with healthy hearing. Soft background music, rustling leaves, and a whisper are all examples of this range.

Understanding an Audiogram: An audiogram tracks the range of frequencies that a person is able to hear. When that person has better hearing sensitivity in certain frequencies, a higher data point will be recorded in those frequencies.

Ranges of Hearing Loss - a Better Understanding

Healthy Hearing (0-25 dB)

A wide spectrum of sounds, from normal conversations to soft whispers, can easily be heard.

Mild Hearing Loss (26-40 dB)

A wide spectrum of sounds, from normal conversations to soft whispers, can easily be heard.

Moderate Hearing Loss (41-65 dB)

Hearing in noisy settings is a struggle, and normal conversations sound muffled.

Severe Hearing Loss (66-90 dB)

You may need visual cues in order to understand the content of conversations.

Profound Hearing Loss (90 dB+)

Effective communication is basically impossible without hearing aids.

Most cases of hearing loss involve loss of hearing in specific frequency ranges rather than in all frequencies. A person’s hearing may be “normal” in the lower frequency range, but significantly impaired in the higher frequency range, making it difficult to hear birds chirping, as well as certain consonants.

A hearing test will allow your hearing professional to map your unique auditory profile, giving them the ability to formulate the appropriate course of treatment.

A Complete Hearing Evaluation at Sound Hearing — Every Test We Perform

A thorough hearing evaluation goes well beyond listening for tones. At Sound Hearing Instruments in Richfield and Mound, our Doctors of Audiology — Dr. Judy DeMorest and Dr. Joseph Neve — conduct a full diagnostic battery so we can understand not just if you have hearing loss, but exactly what kind, where it originates, and how it’s affecting your real-world hearing. Here’s what your evaluation includes:

Otoscopic Examination

Before any testing begins, we'll use an otoscope to visually examine your ear canals and eardrums. This lets us identify earwax buildup, signs of infection, or other physical issues that could affect your test results or indicate a separate concern.

Pure-Tone Air Conduction Testing

The familiar hearing test: you wear headphones and respond to tones at different pitches and volumes.

Bone Conduction Testing

A small device placed behind your ear sends vibrations directly to your inner ear, bypassing the ear canal and middle ear.

Speech Reception Threshold (SRT)

You'll repeat common two-syllable words at decreasing volume levels. This confirms the accuracy of your pure-tone results and establishes the softest level at which you can reliably understand speech.

Word Recognition Score

Your audiologist will have you repeat single-syllable words at a comfortable listening level. This measures your brain's ability to process and understand speech, not just detect it. Because hearing and speech processing involve separate parts of the brain, this test often reveals important information that pure-tone testing alone misses.

QuickSIN — Speech-in-Noise Testing

This is often the most eye-opening test for patients who feel their hearing is "fine" in quiet settings. The QuickSIN measures how well you understand speech when background noise is present.

Tympanometry

A brief, painless test that introduces gentle air pressure into the ear canal to measure eardrum movement.

Your full evaluation takes approximately 45–60 minutes, and results are reviewed with you the same day in plain, easy-to-understand language.

How to Prepare for Your Hearing Test — and What Comes Next

Before Your Appointment

A little preparation helps us make the most of your time together. Here’s what we recommend:

Bring a list of your current medications. Certain medications, including some antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, diuretics, and high doses of aspirin, can affect hearing. Knowing what you take helps us give you a more complete picture.

Note any specific concerns. Think about the situations where your hearing gives you the most trouble: Is it restaurants? Phone calls? Hearing women’s or children’s voices? TV at low volumes?

Consider bringing someone with you. We strongly recommend it, especially for first-time appointments. Hearing loss affects the whole family, and having a trusted person in the room helps you absorb the information, ask follow-up questions, and feel supported.

Let us know about tinnitus or balance issues. If you’re experiencing ringing, buzzing, or rushing sounds in your ears, or if you’ve noticed dizziness or balance problems, tell us before or at the start of your appointment.

You don’t need a referral to schedule a hearing evaluation at Sound Hearing Instruments. Just call or text either of our offices and we’ll get you in.

What Happens After Your Results

Once your evaluation is complete, one of our Doctors of Audiology will walk through your audiogram and all test findings with you in plain language — no jargon. You’ll understand exactly what your results mean and what, if anything, is recommended.

Depending on your results, next steps may include:

Monitoring — If your hearing falls within normal limits, we’ll establish a baseline so we can track any changes at your next evaluation.

Medical referral — If your results suggest a medical cause (such as fluid, infection, or abnormal bone growth), we’ll refer you to the appropriate physician or ENT for follow-up.

Hearing aid consultation — If hearing aids are recommended, we’ll take the time to walk through your options based on your hearing profile, lifestyle, and budget, with no pressure and no rush. We carry leading brands including Phonak, Starkey, ReSound, and Widex, and offer a full range of price points.

Tinnitus treatment — If tinnitus is a concern, our team can discuss management options at the same visit or schedule a dedicated tinnitus evaluation.

Ready to take the first step?

Call or text our Richfield office at 612-294-8675 or our Mound office at 952-522-2139. We’re here Monday through Friday and happy to answer any questions before you come in.

Reviewed by the Doctor of Audiology at Sound Hearing Instruments in Minneapolis

Still have questions? Ask our Doctor of Audiology!

A Hearing Test is a Valuable Tool

Your hearing keeps you socially involved with your friends and family and enriches your life by informing you about the world around you. Yet, hearing loss usually advances slowly and often goes undetected until it begins to negatively impact your life. You can protect this essential sense by scheduling a simple hearing test. A hearing test will allow early intervention by identifying even mild hearing loss in its early stages.

Address your hearing loss before it begins to negatively impact your quality of life. Take control of your hearing health by making an appointment for a hearing test.