Comprehensive Hearing Assessments
Need a thorough hearing checkup?
Whether you have concerns about your hearing or you are just simply curious, our comprehensive hearing assessments will give you all the information you need to know about your ears and hearing ability.
We can determine if you have hearing loss, whether minor or more severe. Our hearing assessments are easy and painless.
We explore your lifestyle, go through your medical history, and perform a variety of tests. We’ll talk through your results with you, whether you need any treatment, and if hearing aids could be beneficial.
Hearing Assessment
A comprehensive hearing assessment including video otoscopy, wax removal (as necessary) middle ear evaluation and pure tone audiometry. Tinnitus evaluation and hearing aid management can be discussed as required.
Time: 75 minutes | £119.00
Hearing
The auditory system is a complex mechanism which takes external sound vibrations and converts them into electrical signals which our brains interpret as meaningful sounds. The auditory system is often broken down into three main parts: the outer, middle and inner ear.
The outer ear consists of our pinna, the ear canal and the ear drum (tympanic membrane).
The middle ear connects the ear drum to the inner ear via three tiny bones or auditory ossicles (malleus, incus and stapes). The middle ear is an air-filled cavity which receives ventilation via the eustachian tube. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of our throat and can help with pressure equalisation.
The inner ear consists of a fluid filled cochlea and balance apparatus. The cochlea is our organ of hearing, which contains thousands of tiny hair cells. These hairs vibrate in response to sound and in doing so, they send chemical signals along the hearing nerve up towards the brain. The balance apparatus (semi-circular canals and vestibule) behave in a similar way except they are responsive to head position and body movement.
Hearing Loss
In the case of hearing loss, the structure and function of any one of these parts of the auditory system (outer, middle or inner) will have become compromised; be it through disease, injury or age-related degeneration.
There are two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. These terms are based on the site of hearing loss within the auditory system. Problems causing hearing disorder in the outer ear (e.g. compacted ear wax) or middle ear (e.g. glue ear) are termed “conductive”.
Inner ear problems (e.g. wear and tear of the auditory hair cells through aging) are termed “sensorineural”.
There are many causes of hearing loss. Some individuals may have both a conductive AND a sensorineural hearing loss simultaneously. This is known as a mixed hearing loss.
Age-related sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of deafness. It is also known as presbycusis and typically starts to present in adults around the age of 50. It tends to be characterised by a loss of high frequency hearing. Common symptoms of presbyacusis include difficulty hearing in background noise and struggling with speech clarity and understanding. Over time, presybacusis becomes progressively worse. This is a slow and gradual process for most. Whilst age-related hearing loss cannot be medically “cured”, the use of hearing aids (tailored specifically to your individual ears and hearing levels) can dramatically improve your hearing ability and quality of life.
Noise induced deafness is another common but preventable cause of sensorineural hearing loss. This can occur in any age group and is not limited to noise exposure in the work place. Causal factors of noise damage are 1) intensity of sound (dB) and 2) duration of exposure. Tinnitus can be a common symptom here and may also be triggered or exacerbated by intense sounds. Often, within noise induced hearing loss, we observe a characteristic ‘dip’ or ‘notch’ in hearing around 4-6KHz. Depending on the seviertiy of hearing damage, hearing aids may be appropriate. The use of custom ear protection is also advised where noise exposure is likely to continue, this may help to prevent any further damage.
A thorough history, otoscopic ear examination (with video otoscope and microscope), ear wax removal as required, tympanometry testing and audiometry. You will be provided with an electronic copy of your audiogram along with a summary of findings and any further management recommendations.
Where to find us
Ear Care Specialists
📍 637 Mansfield Road, Sherwood. Nottingham. NG5 2FX.
