Book A Hearing Test

We offer adult hearing assessments and children's hearing assessments (5yr +). You can book these hearing tests on our contact page.

For Adult hearing assessments, there are three types of hearing tests we offer at Sonant Hearing, Chatham, Rochester, Kent.

1.) Screening Hearing Test:

 First we examine the ear on the outside and inside. Then you are asked to sit inside the sound-proof booth and push a button when you hear a sound in your ears from the insert earphones or over-the-ear headphones. This test only checks the air-conduction hearing thresholds. This offers information on your basic current level of hearing. It does not offer information on the type of hearing loss or the likely cause of any hearing difficulty. 

2.) Full Hearing Test:

 This is the most popular test offered in most places and also at Sonant Hearing Clinic, We examine your ear, go through your medical history then just like the screening hearing test, we test what you can hear when the sound is transmitted through air into your ears. We also test what you can hear when sound is transmitted through the skull in your head direct to your inner ear. This type of test is a standard test that offers more information about the type and level of hearing you have. If there is a hearing loss, with this test we can review if the hearing loss is sensorineural (typically permanent) or conductive (sometimes temporary). We can provide the outcome of this result to your doctor.

3.) Comprehensive Hearing Test:

 In addition to Full Hearing Test, we test your ability to hear speech in noise (speech in noise test or quickSIN), another option to this test is the audible contrast threshold test (ACT),  we test the movement of your eardrums and the pressure behind your eardrums (tympanometry/middle ear test/pressure test/immittance test). This information is particularly useful if one presents with a conductive hearing loss obtained from the Full Hearing Test. We provide the outcome of this test to your doctor. This is also a test often required by ENT to review the middle ear especially with it's connections to the nose and throat. We may also discuss your auditory processing if your history indicates risk factors for auditory processing disorder (APD).

4.) Hearing Aid Assessment: 

In addition to a comprehensive test we can go on to check your Loudness Discomfort Levels (LDLs or ULL - uncomfortable loudness levels). This helps us ensure your hearing aids will never reach up to levels uncomfortable for you. We would also attempt to find out what your lifestyle and preferences are like. We would cover a breadth of situations using peer-reviewed questionnaires and inventories to identify where you find your hearing most impacts your lifestyle. We will review a number of hearing aids and discuss what would be suitable, including your preferences, we will explain why we have recommended a specific hearing solution and arrange a hearing aid trial depending on the severity of your hearing loss. This will give you a chance to try out our recommended solution to see if it is the right solution for you. (Trial aids might not always cover severity of loss e if profound/severe). 

5.) Tinnitus Assessment & Tinnitus Management: 

This is a comprehensive hearing test in addition to further investigations where we attempt to find out what effect your tinnitus is having on you, we try and explore what level the tinnitus is around and investigate the pitch of sound similar to your tinnitus. With the information obtained from the assessment we may explore the types of sounds (amplification, maskers, ambient sounds etc) that may offer you tinnitus relief. We will also explore specific techniques that suit your lifestyle and needs that can manage your tinnitus. 

6.) Middle ear pressure test: 

This can be done to review the status of your eardrum and it's movement in relation to changes in pressure. If you are concerned about flying or have noticed a change in hearing following a cold, congestion, upper respiratory tract infection. This can be a good means of assessing how well your eardrum is moving in response to change in pressure.

7.) Online Hearing Screen

If you can't quite get to the clinic now, and just want a "rough" idea of what your hearing might be like. Understanding that there might be limitations. Or maybe you would like to prepare for the real test and need some kind of preliminary exercise in testing your hearing. You can try our online hearing screen here.

To Prepare For Your Hearing Test

In advance of your hearing test, here are a few suggestions on how you can prepare.

1.  You can ensure that your ears are clear of wax. If you feel your ears are occluded with wax you can arrange an earwax removal appointment.

2. Try and bring any medical prescriptions list, previous hearing test results, audiograms or medical letters related to your hearing. 

3. Familiarise yourself with the location of the clinic.

4. If your ears are in pain or feeling very sore, you might want to inform the hearing clinic to reschedule your hearing test for another time, typically after you have finished receiving medical treatment. Please contact your doctor for treatment of the ear-ache or pain.

What Happens After Your Hearing Test

After you have booked and completed your hearing test at Sonant Hearing Clinic:

1. We offer recommendations for how to address the hearing loss if there is a hearing loss. This can include tinnitus therapy, specific tools, audio devices,  hearing aid fitting, hearing aid adjusting or hearing aid aftercare or servicing. 

2. We will always offer to monitor your hearing yearly to ensure that we continue to track your hearing levels for any changes and take the necessary action on time. 

3. If further investigation is required outside the scope of our practice, we will arrange a medical referral and share the outcome of your reports with your GP or Family Doctor with your permission. 

More FAQ and Answers on Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids and Hearing Tests?