The initial hearing test and assessment takes approximately one-and-a-half hours and costs €80.00. If hearing aids are prescribed and fitted this is deducted from the cost of the hearing aid(s).

The Hearing Aid Audiologist will test your hearing in a number of different ways. The various tests are neither painful nor uncomfortable.

Firstly, a detailed case history is taken to determine the current concerns about your hearing or related symptoms. This will include questions about past medical conditions of the ear, exposure to loud noise, any health problems, medication taken and family history of hearing problems.

Following on from this, both outer ears will be examined with a video otoscopic camera to check for any abnormalities in the ear canal or eardrum, or for any wax.

Your hearing is then tested in a sound booth in a sound treated room. Tones of various pitches are presented through either a set of headphones over your ears or a small set of earplugs in your ears.

Next, a bone conductor headband is placed behind your ear on the temporal bone. The bone conductor transmits sound through bone vibration to the inner ear and helps determine the type of hearing loss that might be present. A map of hearing (audiogram) of these tones is then created for each ear.

Speech tests are also used to determine, not just that you can hear that speech is present, but the level at which you can detect and understand speech.

Tympanometry is a test that shows how well the eardrums are conducting sound, and will determine if there are any problems with the mechanical parts of the ear.

Real Ear Measurement (REM), which is the measurement of sound in the ear canal, is carried out. This important test affects the way a hearing aid is programmed for you at a later stage.

After the various tests are completed, the Hearing Aid Audiologist will take the time to explain the test results to you and advise you accordingly. If hearing aids are not needed or if referral to a doctor or Ear, Nose and Throat consultant is necessary, we will inform you. If hearing aids are indicated, discussion can then take place to determine the most appropriate solution for your hearing loss.