Our Services

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Hear Inc. offers a full range of hearing and audiology services for adults and children (age 5 and up).  Whether you just want a baseline test, or you know it's time to talk about hearing aids, give us a call. We're here to help.

For those who need a basic test for employment or certification, we can usually squeeze you in within a day or two.  

If your physician requested a diagnostic assessment, we will gladly send them a report detailing your audiological results.

If you experience a sudden hearing loss, consult medical attention as soon as possible. We can provide a hearing test, but your physician or emergency care is the first step.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) refers to problems in the processing of auditory information in the brain. Someone with APD may have no hearing loss but have difficulty understanding spoken language. 

Some common signs of APD are: 

• Poor listening 
• Difficulty reading 
• Short attention span 
• Difficulty following verbal directions 
• Delay in language development
• Difficulty understanding speech in noise 

If you or your child may be experiencing APD, call to book an appointment.  A thorough assessment will be completed and recommendations made.  If appropriate, therapy options will be discussed.  

Generally on Vancouver Island, children receive audiological services through Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA).  Often we are contacted by parents who either don't want to deal with the government clinic wait times or who find it easier to deal with a local clinic rather than drive downtown for service.  In that case, we are able to provide testing for children at a developmental age of five or more. Test results can be forwarded to your family physician, teacher, speech pathologist or other specialist.  

It's normal and healthy to have wax in your ear canals.  Occasionally you might find that earwax, or cerumen, builds up to the point of blocking off the ear canal or blocking it enough to negatively impact the function of hearing aids.  In that case, it may be necessary to have the wax removed.  This can be done at no charge by your physician or by us for a small fee.  Wax can be removed using instruments, irrigation (flushing with water), or suction (we have a very cool vacuum made just for wax removal).

Tinnitus is a perception of sound in the ears or the head when no external sound source is present. The sound is often described as ringing, but can take many other forms as well.  At Hear Inc. we believe a thorough understanding of tinnitus and the available treatment options will help individuals feel more positive about their future.  We utilize Progressive Tinnitus Management, which is a program with five levels of treatment.  Many tinnitus patients only require the basic levels to learn to manage their tinnitus. For those with more problematic tinnitus, higher levels of care may involve sound generators or cognitive behavioral therapy.

Vestibular disorders occur when the balance system – which uses our eyes, ears and brain to help us to maintain our balance – becomes damaged or diseased. Symptoms of a vestibular disorder may include dizziness, nausea, vertigo, feeling off balance and lightheadedness. 

Dizziness assessments include a range of tests, including videonystagmography (VNG), which uses specialized goggles to look for an uncontrolled eye movement called nystagmus.  

By completing a range of objective vestibular system tests tailored to your unique issues, a more targeted treatment plan can be created, optimizing results.