Hearing (Merged) Including Hearing Tests and Hearing Categories

[Roy Harding]

hey Nick,  you are on the same boat as I am , I have been scored as H3, which I don't cut into army, but I am accepted into trade which accept H3 , but to get into trade I need to be accepted to Army.. , I don't make rules,, the only way to get it if you have been in CF before and then left , then they will accept you into trade, and army with H3 score.. this sounds like double standard system, it would of be nice if CF change or adjust medical policy for hearing and did like Vision has score from V1 to V5 (where V1 to v4 gets you enrolled) , will it ever happen? we will never know

the only way to get this ruled bend possibly, you have to start with Human Rights Commission...

tech2002, I'm not sure I understand sure I DON'T understand what you're on about - and I'm pretty sure you have only the most tenuous grasp yourself.

ALL NCM's in the CF are assigned a trade, also identified as an MOSID, (sometimes still referred to as an MOC).

As pointed out by SMMT above, NewfieNick apparently meets the hearing standards, so the H3 shouldn't be an obstacle to him joining the Army, and being assigned to his preferred trade of Crewman.

I'm not getting what you're trying to communicate here.


Roy

 

[old medic]

It's very hard to say without seeing your original results and the Audiologists test.
You don't mention the hz level you scored the 45 db on either.
Based on what you have provided, You should ask to be retested.

I passed everything with my right ear except the 4000hz. As the requirement is 30db, I got 35.

The Key fact here is you said 35db at 4000hz.

so H1 is  "acuity to hear sounds of less than or equal to 30 dB in each ear in the 500 to 8000 Hz frequency range"
which you don't meet.

h2 is " auditory acuity to hear sounds of less than or equal to 30 dB in each ear in the 500 to 3000 Hz
which, by what you have typed, it sounds like you do meet. 4000 Hz is above the 500 to 3000 Hz range, but within the
500 to 8000 range needed for H1.

Now that you have taken corrective action, you should be asking to be tested again and possibly moved from
H3 to H2.

H1 and H2 are the Common Enrollment Standard. H3 can not be enrolled.

 

[Roy Harding]

...

H1 and H2 are the Common Enrollment Standard. H3 can not be enrolled.

Thank you, old medic.  I now understand (I think) what tech2002 was attempting to say, (he meets MOC specs, but not Common Enrolment Standard) - and I see where NewfieNick's problem lies.


Roy

 

[gogogo]

To all who may be in Nicks situation I suggest you go and test your hearing privately at an audiologist. I was also borderline h3 35db at one frequency. I was super stressed in that little booth, I could hear my heart beat (and every other sound from outside) and I kept missing that frequency. I also had just got over a flu about a week before. I personally think the hearing test is  the worst thing in enrollment, but at times it could be a question of concentration and "learning" to hear the lightest beeps. At least for people who are borderline. In the end with my "lazy" ear I was tested and retested and  proved more times to be H1. But it was a very stressing period, because as I understand there are  "no exceptions made" on the >30 db standard . So whoever is in this situation; hang tough, get through possible congestion (flu/cold/sinus/ etc), get ears checked out by physician, practice at home on your computer with those at home audio tests,  go to at least 2 audiologists (it'll cost you but you're dream is at stake).
If all this doesn't work you can at least put you're heart at rest knowing you've done everything possible.
good luck to all...

 

[Mustadio]

gogogo I know what you mean. I haven't had an audio-test done in years, and I had no memory of it. Like you said I could hear my heart beat, I was distracted by it, and I know exactly what you mean by 'learning' to hear the beeps. I think it has to do with being in a world where we are surrounded by sounds, all the time. Even if you're just walking down the street, most people are listening to their I-pods. For me I was in the soundproof booth and I thought I heard the 'beep' but I wasn't concentrating enough, and i didn't 'learn' to recognize it. So I just discarded it, then when it got louder I thought "Oh damn! that's the beep, I missed like 3 or 4 of them that I should of pushed the button for".
My right ear I believe is fine, but my left ear has some problems, especially with higher pitches. I got my ears syringed and when my doctor is back from vacation later this week I'm going to get an appointment with an audiologist and I'm just hoping for the best. I agree though, I dislike the audio test... It caught me off guard and sometimes it really is a matter of concentration and learning to hear the faint sounds.

For the enrollment though, those requirements have to be met by both ears right? They don't 'take the best one' or average it, eh? My hearing never has caused me any problems, it's just higher pitched sounds.

 

[ixium]

Do they test both ears seperatly? I did the test around a month ago and don't remember if the sound from their headphones was directional or not.

I just pushed the button when I heard anything I thought was something that wasn't supposed to be there and ended up with an H1. And doesn't 'training' for the audio test(lol...) kind of defeat the purpose of it?
I mean, I listen to loud music on headphones and always around loud noises from work etc and still did fine.

Anything past cleaning the wax out of the ear is reaching for straws when it comes to the audio test.

But, the sounds I heard in the test don't seem to be like real world situational sounds(please correct me if I am wrong), even the 'loudest' beep was pretty quiet. Unless maybe you're trying to catch mice running across a hardwood floor, I don't see the point in how low the H1 category goes.

 

[JBoyd]

Well I plan to do what i can to make sure they are empty of crap gonna get a flush done

 

[aesop081]

But, the sounds I heard in the test don't seem to be like real world situational sounds(please correct me if I am wrong),

They're not supposed to be. They are sound pulses at specific frequecies to test your ability to hear sounds emited at that frequency.  They dont have to be real sounds.....its all about the frequency.  If you cant hear the "beep" you wont be able to hear a "real" sound at the same frequency.

 

[ixium]

Right, but is the a difference if its at 35db or 30db?

If the real sound is at the same frequency, chances are its not going to be as low of db as those tests were done at....



...Ok, after lookup the decibel of a whisper, it seems like 30db isn't as low as I thought...The frequency just makes it seem low I guess...

 

[aesop081]

Right, but is the a difference if its at 35db or 30db?

If the real sound is at the same frequency, chances are its not going to be as low of db as those tests were done at....



...Ok, after lookup the decibel of a whisper, it seems like 30db isn't as low as I thought...The frequency just makes it seem low I guess...

Amazing what happens when you educate yourself rather that spouting off and second guessing things you know nothing about !!!!

 

[ixium]

That's why I had the little clause at the end of the original statement and used words like "don't seem" instead of "aren't"

 

[bondarenkoa]

So i did my audiogram for my medical today and the first time i had 0/10 in the 500 then 10/5 in the 1000 then 10/5 in the 2000 and the problem was in the 3000 where i had 60/60 in both ears......i was wondering if anyone had the same problem and wht can be done to resolve this....
i heard there are 4 levels of the test H1 H2 H3 H4.....

H1
- the member has the necessary auditory acuity to hear sounds of less than or equal to 30 dB in each ear in the 500 to 8000 Hz
  frequency range.

H2
- The member has the necessary auditory acuity to hear sounds of less than or equal to 30 dB in each ear in the 500 to 3000 Hz
  frequency range.

H3
- The member has the necessary auditory acuity to hear sounds of less than or equal to 50 dB in either ear in the 500 to 3000 Hz
  frequency range.

H4
- The member has the necessary auditory acuity to only hear sounds greater than 50 dB in either ear in the 500 to 3000 Hz
  frequency range.


i really need this guys i hope there is an alternative, ohh and my position is Infantry.

 

[tech2002]

Did medical officer told you anything ?
otherways best way to wait for news, in mean time perhaps if you concern with results, go to clinic and do another audiogram it costs 40 bucks , and try to be relaxed, if in case this audiogram results will be better you might have chance to resend this information once you get bad news if you fail to meet the min standard..

 

[westie47]

I did a search but yielded no results.

My question for you medics is this, what/how are the hearing catagories set up? I am infantry and was given an H3 because I had experienced hearing loss.  I just completed an Audiogram and am worried my hearing in the one ear will push me out of the infantry... what's the basic level of hearing for infantry/deployment?

Is there a chart/number? I have my numbers from my hearing test. Any help is appreciated, I'd like to know a bit more before I go see the doctor.

 

[PMedMoe]

I searched "hearing" and here's what I found:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/55464.0.html

Don't forget when doing a search, you should be in the board in which you want to search.  Otherwise, you'll search the entire forum.

 

[westie47]

Perfect, thanks. My Google-fu is very weak, unless it involves porn!!!!!! That explained pretty much everything except this:

Since I am already a serving member and am infantry, at what level do I become medically unfit for infantry/deployment? H3, H4, below H4?????

 

[PMedMoe]

I believe it is below H3 (so H4) but I could be wrong.  I'm not a Med Tech anymore.

 

[Cansky]

I did a search but yielded no results.

My question for you medics is this, what/how are the hearing catagories set up? I am infantry and was given an H3 because I had experienced hearing loss.  I just completed an Audiogram and am worried my hearing in the one ear will push me out of the infantry... what's the basic level of hearing for infantry/deployment?

Is there a chart/number? I have my numbers from my hearing test. Any help is appreciated, I'd like to know a bit more before I go see the doctor.

Westie,
Keep in mind that the audiogram is just a tool that we use.  If your H3 is a significant drop from your previous hearing categories you should be refered to a hearing specialist.  You should also have more formal hearing exam.  A specialist will have access to better equipment than the audiogram machine that the CF uses.  I was an H3 upon return from Kandahar.  (living 500 m from the runway for 6 months will do that) but they refered me to a specialist and better equipment and my hearing was actually H1/H2.
This link will take you to the quidelines. http://www.forces.gc.ca/health/policies/med_standards/pdf/engraph/cfp154_annexEappen1-2_e.pdf  An infanteer can be an H3 but no worse.
Kirsten

 

[westie47]

Thanks for the info, I was H3 last year but I went for an actual Audiogram and it looks like I am pushing into the H4 cat.  I am going to get one or two more tests doen at different places to ensure a consistent result.

The MO told me last year that they are only concerened with the low ranges not the high ranges, all of my loss is in the high range so I wasn't too concerned.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

It will probably depend on your rank also. I know lots of WOs & higher with hearing aids, in the combat arms.