Our Hearing consultation, what to expect:

The test begins with a thorough case history, which provides us with specific health information that may provide insight into hearing loss causes and whether your issue may be a medical referral issue which may be corrected by medical intervention.

Following the case history, then we will examine your ear canals and eardrums with a special computerised video light called a video otoscope. The results are clearly displayed on a high resolution flat screen, so you can see exactly what is happening in your ear. If we need to refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat Consultant, we can print out pictures to send, or even e-mail to the recipient if required.

Next, the levels of hearing in each of your ears are measured in a purpose built sound-treated test room. During this test, a series of tones of different pitches, as well as speech signals are presented to each ear through headphones. You will be asked to respond to the signals by either pushing a button, raising your hand or in the case of speech signals, repeating what you heard. You will be asked to respond to the lowest level that you can hear which determines your hearing thresholds. Once the headphone tests have been used, a bone conduction test is carried out through a bone conductor worn like a headband, and you will be asked to respond as before. Your thresholds for each pitch and ear are plotted on a graph called an audiogram.

Further tests may be conducted during the hearing test. Your ability to understand words or sentences at different volume levels may be assessed to determine how clearly you hear speech. Your middle ear function may also be assessed by a test called tympanometry once again recording the results on a graph called a tympanogram.

These results will then be uploaded into the computer file, in your name to help build up a picture of your issues.

Once uploaded, these results will be displayed on the screen and a full lifestyle profile is taken to try and ascertain exactly where we need to place the technology specification to satisfy your individual needs.

Following this we can discuss the results with you and may provide further recommendations, including treatment options, like hearing aids.

Once your specific system has been chosen, we may need to take an impression of your ear, or measure it, to further personalise your system, once the system is with us, your first steps to getting back to inclusivity has begun.