Hearing Test Near Me: What Happens, What It Costs and How to Read Your Results
If you are searching for a hearing test near you, you probably want three things answered quickly: what actually happens, what it costs, and whether it is worth doing. Here is the plain version, written by the audiologists who carry out these tests every day across South West London.
Quick answer
A private hearing test with us costs £59 and includes an ear examination, a full listening test and a clear explanation of your results.
You do not need a referral, and you are under no obligation to buy anything afterwards.
What happens at a hearing test
A proper hearing assessment is more than a beep test. Expect these steps:
- A conversation. We ask where you struggle: group conversations, the TV, the phone, background noise. This shapes how we read your results.
- An ear examination. Using an otoscope we check the ear canals and eardrums. Ear wax, for example, can cause a temporary hearing loss that has nothing to do with the hearing nerve. If wax is the problem, we can talk through ear wax removal.
- Pure tone audiometry. You wear headphones and press a button each time you hear a tone, from low to high pitch. This is the standard test described by the NHS, and it finds the quietest sounds you can hear at each pitch.
- Speech testing where appropriate. Hearing a tone and understanding words in noise are different skills, so we check both when it is useful.
- Your results, explained. We show you the chart and say what it means for everyday life, in plain English.
How to read your audiogram
The result is drawn as a graph called an audiogram. Pitch runs left to right, from low (bass) to high (treble), and loudness runs top to bottom. The lower a mark sits, the louder that sound had to be before you heard it.
Many people with age-related hearing loss show a downward slope towards the high pitches. That is why speech can sound loud enough yet unclear, because consonants such as s, f and th are high-pitched. A normal result is useful too: it rules hearing out and points us to other causes, such as wax or tinnitus.
What does a hearing test cost?
Our hearing test is £59. If you cannot easily get to a clinic, a home visit hearing test is £89. If hearing aids turn out to be worth considering, you will see our prices openly on the hearing aid prices page, and our own comparison is in how much hearing aids really cost in the UK. The NHS also offers hearing tests through your GP, and we have laid out the honest differences between a private test and the NHS.
Signs it is time to book
- You ask people to repeat themselves, or often miss what was said in restaurants.
- The TV is louder than other people want it.
- You find phone calls harder than you used to.
- You feel tired after social situations because listening takes effort.
- One ear seems worse than the other, or you notice ringing.
RNID estimates that around 12 million people in the UK have some degree of hearing loss, and most wait years before getting it checked. A test costs little and tells you where you stand.
What to bring and how to prepare
- A list of any medicines, and your GP’s details if you have had ear problems.
- Any previous hearing test results, if you have them.
- A relative or friend if you would like a second pair of ears, which often helps.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a private hearing test take?
Allow around an hour for the whole appointment. The listening part is only a portion of it; the rest is your questions, the ear examination and an explanation of your results.
Does a hearing test hurt?
No. You wear headphones and press a button when you hear a tone. Before that we look in your ears with an otoscope, which is painless.
Do I have to buy hearing aids after a hearing test?
No. A hearing test is an assessment, not a sales appointment. If your hearing is normal, we tell you so. If hearing aids might help, we explain the options and you decide in your own time.
Hearing tests in Wimbledon, Teddington, Wallington and Addiscombe
We run independent clinics in Wimbledon, Teddington, Wallington and Addiscombe, so a test is usually a short trip from home. You can see each address on our locations page. If you would like to go ahead, you can book a hearing test online, or read more about what our hearing test includes. If you do end up choosing hearing aids, our fittings come with four years of unlimited aftercare.
