Hearing Health Check
We offer all patients a 15-minute hearing health check. This will help us determine whether to recommend either a more comprehensive hearing assessment, a referral for wax removal or in some instances a medical referral to explore any identified concerns during the health check. Our hearing health check includes a brief case history, otoscopy and 4 frequency audiometry in both ears.
Full Hearing Assessment
The full assessment includes:
- Case history- to determine your previous history of hearing as well as medical history that may be relevant to hearing or hearing loss. To learn more about how your hearing impacts on your lifestyle.
- Video otoscopy- to examine the outer ear using a camera, the audiologist will be able to examine the ear canal and eardrum.
- Tympanometry- assesses the middle ear function and can detect stiffness of the middle ear or fluid in the middle ear.
- Acoustic Reflex Thresholds (ART)- provides and objective measure that provides information on the type, severity and site of hearing loss.
- Pure Tone Audiometry- you will hear tones that will get softer and softer, every time you hear the tone, you need to press a button. This will be done at a range of frequencies.
- Speech Tests (single words and sentences)- listening to and repeating words and sentences in both quiet and noisy settings.
- Hearing aid demonstration- if you have a hearing loss, hearing aids will be programmed for you to wear for the rest of your appointment. This will give you the opportunity to experience how hearing aids can benefit you as well as allowing you to test the sound quality, features and comfort of hearing aids.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is any sound that is perceived but does not have a sound source. Examples of tinnitus are: ringing, whooshing, buzzing etc. Tinnitus treatment is aimed at reducing the effect of your tinnitus on your lifestyle. Treatment options include tinnitus counselling, tinnitus retraining therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. Most times a combination of the above is required.
Vestibular System and Balance
Your inner ear is responsible for your balance and spatial orientation. If you experience rotary vertigo (sensation like the room or you are spinning), nausea and imbalance it could be caused from the inner ear. Some vestibular disorders include: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s disease, labyrinthitis etc.