How to FAKE a Hearing Loss During A Hearing Test

How to FAKE a Hearing Loss During A Hearing Test. Dr. Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Anthem Arizona, discusses what you need to know before faking a hearing loss during a hearing test.

There are a variety of reasons you may be thinking of faking a hearing loss during a hearing test. Perhaps it is to gain compensation from the Military, a Workers Compensation disability claim, to get out of school, or just to get some attention.

However, there are 6 things you should know before attempting to trick a hearing care professional who has been specifically trained to sniff out an actual hearing loss.

#1. The Pure Tone Test - This is when you hear beeps during the hearing test and you either raise your hand or click a button to let the tester know you heard it. The problem is, your hearing care professional will constantly adjust the volume of the beeps and you have to consistently for the same beeps or it will look suspicious.

If you try to fake a hearing loss in only one ear by not raising your hand at all, they will perform a Stenger Test. It is impossible to trick the Stenger test so faking a loss in one ear only is not a smart idea.

#2. Speech Reception Thresholds (SRTs) - The whole purpose of SRTs is to see if your ability to understand speech matches up with your thresholds from Pure Tone Testing. If they don't match up, it is a solid indicator that you are faking a hearing loss. Since you won't be able to tell what level you are supposed to hear the speech, you likely won't be able to guess the correct level to repeat the words.

#3. Word Recognition Scores (WRS) - This is when words are presented at an audible level and you are expected to repeat them back. You can't just not repeat the words because the tester will know you are faking. So if you are going to repeat the words back incorrectly, you have to make them sound similar to the word being presented. This is extremely hard to do.

#4. Auditory Reflex Testing (ARTs) - These are involuntary reflexes created by your Stapedius and Tensor Tympani muscles in your middle ear space. When a sound is presented to your ear, these muscles contract, indicating that your inner ear heard the sound. Since you can't fake this portion of the test it will likely foil your plan to fake a loss.

#5. Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) - This is another involuntary evaluation to determine if your ears are capable of sending sound to your brain. When these sounds are presented to your ears, your ears involuntarily respond with a sound of their own to indicate if they are functioning properly. If you truly have a hearing loss, this test will show it, if you don't have a hearing loss, it will show that as well.

If you've somehow made it this far, your audiologist will have one more trick up their sleeves.

#6. The Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) - This test will measure your brain activity in response to sound. With electrodes hooked up to your face and scalp a sound will be presented to your ears. If you hear the sound, it will be indicated by a spike on a computer screen. If you don't hear the sound, it will show a flat line. Either way, you can't fake this part of the test because you brain will automatically respond when it hears the sound.

Even though it is impossible to fake a hearing loss, there is one occasion that I believe it is okay to make an attempt. That is if you need help with depression or abuse. If a faked hearing loss is a cry for help, let your hearing care professional get you help.

Depression Hotline: [phone]-HOPE (4673)

Abuse Hotline: [phone]-SAFE (7233)

[justinw.]

Completely unexpected turn at the end. Thank you for bringing up mental illnesses and getting help for them.

[bigb]

What is really sad. Is the real people that have real hearing loss. Can not get help.

[lorenfranco]

You are AWESOME! I was watching this video because I'm applying for disability compensation for the Army. The Reserve unit I was attached to lost all of my paperwork to prove I was injured on Active Duty so it has been very difficult to prove. I wanted to fake the test to raise my compensation to make up for what I'm losing. After this video, I changed my mind. Awesome video. Thank you.

[DEEPNNN]

Loved this. I'm thinking of all the scumbags who google how to defeat a hearing test and find this video first. LOL

[carlcounts]

I've had a few co-workers over the years that need this test. They fake hearing loss to get out of work and it works. Supervisors will assign their work to others because of the hassle it is to have to repeat things to them several times. Yet their hearing seems to work fine when its something non-work related.

[thatpantransguy]

I found this video interesting. I actually have hearing loss in both ears and when I was 10 years old my parents took me to the audiologist. They tested me for everything and couldn't find a reason for my hearing loss. The doctor thought I might be faking it, but for most of my life it's gotten worse. I even get pain, dizziness/vertigo, ringing, and all sorts of crap. I used to get sick all the time and have eat infections constantly. I'm thinking "how the hell could someone fake a hearing test?" You CAN'T! Either my doctor was judging me based on my age, or its all in my head. I even went to the audiologist recently about my symptoms and they said without a doubt I have similar levels of hearing loss in both ears.

[DeafSeattleGuy]

i'm Deaf myself since age of 1. No way to fake it, trust me. every time I go for an audiology exam (all my life), they don't even do every test like he mentioned. I pretty much have consistently failed every hearing exam since age 1.

[natashak]

Why in the world would someone want to fake it? Seriously!!! It sucks have vision and hearing impairment. I thankfully am getting assistance with covering my hearing aids. Looking forward to getting my hearing aid consult and figuring out what is best to help my hearing.

[baileelamb]

I remember when I first got hearing aids and my little sister got jealous so she tried to fake so she could get some too 😂
She was outed to my mom at the very beginning of the test lol

[FoundingYouTuber]

Julie herein asks: "Can you 'fake' NOT having a hearing problem. Hubby is in denial . . . ?" I was in combat at age 17-18. When I returned home the military gave all returning members a hearing test. I remember specifically the doctor telling me words to the effect: "I have bad news and good news. You have a hearing loss, but it is at the high ranges, which is the sound of most women's voices. So while you have a loss, you simply won't be able to hear what women are saying to you." He had a good laugh at his little pun/joke.

Anyway, he said I was entitled to hearing aids. I said no way at such a young age am I wearing hearing aids. That was fine for the Doc who I assume was also charged with trying to save the DoD money. Long story short, I went thorough the next 40 years suffering because I had too much pride. I asked everyone to repeat themselves, I could only hear half of what people were saying to me. And a few years back I read that hearing loss causes all kinds of other damage including depression, stress, high blood pressure, etc.

If you want to convince hubby to treat his hearing loss lead him to some sites that talk about all the problems untreated hearing loss causes. Also, with the new technology these devices are so small that no one will know he's wearing them. (No one has ever noticed my hearing aids. The CIC models, completely in the canal, are undetectable.). And even my new RIC (receiver in the canal) are not noticeable. I wear glasses so the devices blend in with the frame arms which makes them mostly invisible.

[jackmortimer]

Great ending regarding a cry for help.

[David_Phantom]

All I wanted was a free hearing test. Instead I got told the reason hear specialist get paid so well. So...thanks!

[reganarchbold]

I clicked this because I’m hoh and it triggered me 😂

[abigailjunek]

A year ago I was diagnosed with moderate bilateral mixed hearing loss. Recently I got my one year hearing test done and my Audiologist said push the button even if you can’t hear the noise. I don’t know why he would say that to me because in my mind he’s telling me to literally push the button even when I can’t hear it then he gets confused on why I’m not pressing the button and said I can’t hear the sounds because they are to quite. Before my hearing loss I was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder. Like why in the heck would you tell me to push a button when I can’t hear the sounds

[piranhaowner]

It’s No Fun having Impaired Hearing…. I just lost mine last month….. it affects EVERYTHING…from emotions..physically… mentally….. don’t want to be around ppl bc u can’t hear or want to speak…. Withdraw yourself….
I now have hearing aids at age 56….. never would have thought in my Life….. I used to have Eagle Sharp hearing……be Grateful for your Senses… we take them for granted…… why would anyone even want to fake hearing loss is beyond me…….
I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy… if I had one that is 😢

[wolfievloggzuwu]

I’m deaf 85% in my right and 97% in the left I’ve been deaf when I was born and who would want to fake not being able to hear

[Matt-zxqs]

I just had a hearing test done and the word recognition part was hard for me. I asked the audiologist what i should do if i don't understand the word that is to be repeated. I wasn't saying anything other than, "what", "i don't understand" or something along those lines. She said i could say something that sounds like it, repeat the whole sentence or nothing. I feel that if you say a word that isn't it is more indicative of faking. I truly had a real hard time hearing/ understanding what was being said. I really hope they don't think i was faking it.

[emilyroberts]

My grandma is in her eighties, and has had trouble hearing for the past decade or so. She has hearing aids, but refuses to wear them, so we all are repeating ourselves constantly around her. I can’t watch movies with her because I have sensory processing disorder and am super sensitive to loud sounds, and she whacks the volume all the way up so she can hear it.

[eijirokirishima]

I really think I’m having hearing loss but I’m terrified that when i get checked there might be nothing wrong and then people will think i was faking it

[vcasualties]

me: looking this up for a prank
him: **talks about professional stuff**
me: yea this aint the thing i was looking for