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Comprehensive hearing assessment and advice
video otoscopy & microscopy
speech in noise tests
diagnostic
audiometry
clinical advice
middle ear pressure testing
private ENT referrals
Need a thorough hearing check up?
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Whether you have concerns about your hearing, considering hearing aids 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 full hearing assessments are easy and detailed. We allocate 75 minutes for your appointment, ensuring a relaxed but thorough experience.
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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.
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Ear Care Specialists
Because your hearing health matters.
Signs of a hearing loss
Signs of a hearing loss may be subtle. Here are some common things to look out for:
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Mishearing speech
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Straining to hear the television or radio
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Reliance on subtitles
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Struggling to hear in background noise
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Feeling like everyone is "mumbling"
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Ears feel blocked
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Unable to follow conversations in group settings
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Talking loudly
Types of hearing loss
Age-related deafness and noise-induced deafness are the most common causes of hearing loss. Both types involve hair cell and nerve damage within the inner ear, specifically the cochlea and VIII auditory nerve. This is known as sensorineural hearing loss. It is irreversible and is often managed through hearing aids.
Problems with the outer or middle ear such as ear wax blockage, congestion and ear drum perforations can cause conductive hearing loss. These are often treatable conditions.
Hearing
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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.
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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.
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Hearing Loss
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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.
Take our online hearing test
Gain a better understanding of your hearing ability right here right now, with our FREE online hearing test. Find a quiet spot, plug in your ear buds or headphones and click the link to get started. We will even send you over a copy of the findings. Do remember that this is a screening tool and not a diagnostic measure of your hearing function. Nevertheless, it can help identify potential hearing problems and the need for further hearing assessment.
Hearing loss can be sudden or gradual. It can affect your ability to hear all sounds or just parts of certain sounds. Most often, as we age we lose the ability to hear high frequency phonemes such as "S" "T" "K" "F" "TH". This can interfere with our speech perception and dull our hearing clarity.