Stockport Hearing Tests

Stockport Hearing Tests

At our hearing care centre in the heart of Stockport, Cheshire, we provide a professional and welcoming environment for you to address your hearing concerns. We understand that taking the first step can feel daunting, which is why our dedicated team is committed to making your experience as comfortable and reassuring as possible. Our goal is to offer clear, expert guidance tailored specifically to you, ensuring you feel supported from the moment you walk through our door.

Hearing tests Stockport

What to expect from a hearing test

During your appointment, you can expect a comprehensive assessment of your hearing health conducted by one of our experienced audiologists. We take the time to listen to your concerns and understand your lifestyle before carrying out a thorough, non-invasive hearing test. Following the assessment, we will discuss the results with you in detail, explaining everything in simple terms. We then provide personalised recommendations, whether it's advice on hearing protection or exploring suitable hearing solutions, to help you make an informed decision about your future hearing care.

Stockport hearing test

Do we need regular hearing tests?

Common hearing tests for adults and older children include:

  • Pure tone audiometry (pure-tone test)

    - the most common screening. You’ll wear headphones and hear a series of high- and low-pitched tones. The test measures the quietest sounds you can detect at different pitches. When you hear a tone, you press a button or raise your hand.

  • Speech audiometry (speech test)

    - similar to the pure-tone test, but with spoken words instead of tones. You’ll repeat simple words presented at various volumes, sometimes over background noise. This shows how well you understand speech and helps estimate how much a hearing aid could help.

  • Tympanometry

    - a small probe is placed in your ear to gently change air pressure and play sounds, causing your eardrum to move. This measures middle ear pressure and how well the eardrum is functioning.

  • Bone conduction test (tuning fork or vibrator)

    - a vibrating device is placed behind your ear or on your skull. Vibrations travel through bone directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. Comparing these results helps distinguish conductive hearing loss (e.g., fluid or wax) from sensorineural loss (inner ear or nerve issues).

  • Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) test

    - a small earpiece measures faint sounds produced by the cochlea’s hair cells in response to stimuli. This helps assess whether those cells are functioning properly.

 

Hearing test Stockport

Do children need hearing tests?

The type of test used depends on a child’s age and developmental stage. Common options include:

  • Visual reinforcement audiometry

    - the child learns to turn toward a sound and receives a visual reward—like a toy animation or a screen lighting up—when they respond.

  • Play audiometry

    - the child listens for sounds and completes a simple task when they hear them, such as placing a ball in a bucket or adding a puzzle piece.

When will I get my hearing test results?

  • Reviewing your results

    - In most cases, your specialist will go over your hearing test results with you before you leave the appointment.

  • Understanding the audiogram

    - Your tone test results are shown on an audiogram—a graph that indicates which sounds you hear well and which ones are harder for you to detect.

  • Diagnosis and care plan

    - Your specialist will explain your results, including the type and degree of any hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, or mixed), and let you know if additional testing is recommended. If hearing loss is confirmed, they’ll discuss the best management options for you. These may include wax removal, treatment for fluid buildup, or hearing solutions such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.

What are the signs of hearing loss?

Hearing loss often develops gradually, so the signs can be easy to miss at first. In many cases, a friend or family member notices changes before you do.

Common signs affecting one or both ears typically involve difficulty hearing or understanding speech:

  • Struggling to hear or understand others clearly, especially in crowds or noisy places
  • Frequently misunderstanding what people say
  • Often asking others to repeat themselves (e.g., saying “What?” a lot)
  • Having trouble understanding words in background noise
  • Difficulty hearing on the phone
  • Turning up the TV or music louder than others prefer; family may say it’s too loud
  • Finding it hard to follow conversations and “nodding along” to fill in gaps
  • Feeling tired or stressed from concentrating to listen (sometimes called “listening fatigue”)
  • Avoiding social situations because hearing is too difficult, which can lead to isolation
  • Responding inappropriately because something was misheard or guessed

What are the related symptoms with hearing loss?

Hearing loss is not always an isolated issue; it can be accompanied by several other symptoms that help point towards a potential cause. A very common related symptom is tinnitus, which you might experience as a persistent ringing or bussing in your ears. This can be a sign of a perforated eardrum, labyrinthitis, Ménière’s disease, or a simple build-up of earwax. You might also notice a feeling of pressure or fullness inside the ear, earache, or even discharge running from the ear, all of which provide clues about the underlying condition.

Other symptoms can also appear alongside difficulty hearing. Sensations of dizziness or a spinning feeling, known as vertigo, are particularly associated with conditions like labyrinthitis and Ménière’s disease, as well as earwax build-up. You may also find that your ears feel itchy. A frequent complaint is the muffling of speech and other sounds, making it hard to follow conversations. Recognising these additional symptoms is an important step in understanding what might be causing your hearing difficulties.

What are the signs of hearing loss in children?

Hearing difficulties can impact a child’s speech and progress at school. Parents and caregivers might notice:

  • Delayed speech or late talking
  • Speech that’s difficult to understand
  • No response to loud sounds
  • Trouble following what’s being said
  • Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
  • Ongoing challenges at school
  • Babies and young children rubbing or pulling at their ears
  • Babies who seem unusually irritable, restless, or have poor appetite
  • A child who often loses balance

If you notice several of these signs, consider speaking with your paediatrician or an audiologist for a hearing assessment.

Stockport audiologists

When to seek medical attention

It is recommended to see a GP (General Practitioner) or health care provider if you have problems with your hearing. It is crucial to get help quickly, as early detection of hearing loss is critical for effective treatment and avoiding negative consequences like cognitive decline.

You should seek urgent advice or ask for an urgent GP appointment if:

  • You experience sudden hearing loss in one or both ears.
  • Your hearing has been getting worse over the last few days or weeks.
  • You have hearing loss along with other symptoms, such as earache or discharge coming out of the ear.
  • You or your child have symptoms that do not get better after a few days or are getting worse.

FAQs

Getting a hearing test is a simple, pain-free step towards protecting your long-term health. It allows for the early detection of hearing loss and other ear-related conditions, which is key to effective management. Identifying any issues early means that treatment, such as using hearing aids, can be implemented sooner, significantly improving your quality of life. The process is quick and straightforward, making it an easy addition to your regular health checks.

Delaying a hearing test can have serious consequences beyond just your hearing. Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, depression, and cognitive decline. Research has even associated it with a higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, early intervention and treatment are proven to lower these risks, helping you stay connected and maintain cognitive function for longer. Taking this simple test is a proactive way to safeguard your overall well-being.

You might benefit from a hearing test if you’re noticing gradual changes in how you hear. Watch for signs like:

  • Struggling to hear or understand people clearly, especially in noisy environments or crowds
  • Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
  • Turning the TV or radio volume up higher than others prefer
  • Having difficulty hearing on the phone
  • Experiencing ringing or bussing in your ears (tinnitus)
  • Feeling fatigued or stressed from having to focus hard to follow conversations
  • Avoiding social situations because hearing conversations is challenging
  • If you work in a noisy environment, schedule regular hearing checks, often annually

A hearing test is performed by a hearing specialist known as an audiologist. These professionals are trained to test your hearing, diagnose any hearing loss, and recommend suitable hearing devices. In some instances, an otolaryngologist, who is a doctor specialising in diseases of the ear (often called an ENT), may also be involved in your assessment and care.

You can get a hearing test in several places. The test is usually conducted at a hospital or clinic. Your General Practitioner (GP) can refer you or your child to an audiologist for a comprehensive evaluation. Additionally, many large pharmacies and opticians have qualified audiologists who can provide hearing tests for adults aged 18 and over. These tests are often free, although you may need to pay for any subsequent treatment. For adults over 18, simple online hearing screenings are also available and can help you determine if a full, face-to-face test is needed.

A hearing test is a straightforward process that requires no special preparation on your part. The appointment typically lasts between 15 minutes and one hour, depending on the specific tests needed to assess your hearing. The overall flow begins with a discussion about your health and medical history, followed by a physical examination of your ears. Afterwards, you will undergo a series of simple, non-invasive hearing tests designed to evaluate different aspects of your hearing function.

The procedure starts with your specialist asking about your health history, including any past injuries, illnesses, or medications that could affect your hearing. Next, they will perform a painless examination of your ears using an instrument called an otoscope to check the ear structures and look for any issues like earwax buildup. For the core hearing tests, you will likely sit in a soundproof room wearing headphones.

These tests may include:

  • Pure tone audiometry, where you signal when you hear soft high and low tones.
  • Speech audiometry, where you repeat simple words to check how well you understand speech
  • Tympanometry, which uses a small device to measure eardrum movement
  • Bone conduction test, where a vibrating device is placed behind your ear to help identify the source of any hearing difficulty

For children, age-appropriate methods like Visual Reinforcement or Play Audiometry are used to make the experience engaging and effective.

At the end of your appointment, you’ll typically receive your hearing test results right away, often presented as an audiogram—a graph that shows which sounds you hear clearly and which ones you’re missing across different pitches and volumes. Your hearing specialist will walk you through the findings, explaining both the severity and the type of hearing loss, if any. Conductive hearing loss happens when sound waves can’t efficiently reach the inner ear, commonly due to earwax buildup or fluid; in many cases, treatment like wax removal or fluid drainage can restore hearing.

Sensorineural hearing loss, by contrast, results from damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve and is usually permanent; management often includes options like hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other assistive listening devices to improve communication and quality of life. In some cases, people experience mixed hearing loss, a combination of conductive and sensorineural components, which may require a blend of medical treatment and amplification.

Whatever the diagnosis, your specialist will discuss the best management plan tailored to your needs, answer questions about what to expect, and outline next steps so you leave with a clear understanding of your hearing health and available solutions.

Contact your GP urgently or NHS 111 if any of the following occur:

  • You or your child suddenly lose hearing in one or both ears
  • You or your child notice hearing worsening over several days or weeks
  • You or your child have hearing loss accompanied by other symptoms, such as earache or fluid/discharge from the ear

Hearing tests near me

Locations

  • Ashton Under Lyne

  • Audenshaw

  • Bramhall

  • Bredbury

  • Chapel en le Frith

  • Cheadle

  • Cheadle Hulme

  • Chorlton

  • Davenporrt

  • Denton

  • Didsbury

  • Disley

  • Edgeley

  • Fallowfield

  • Gatley

  • Gorton

  • Hazel Grove

  • Heaton Chapel

  • Heaton Mersey

  • Heaton Moor

  • Heaviley

  • High Lane

  • Hyde

  • Levenshulme

  • Longsight

  • Marple

  • Marple Bridge

  • New Mills

  • Poynton

  • Offerton

  • Reddish

  • Romiley

  • Stockport

  • Whaley Bridge

  • Woodford

  • Woodley

  • Withington