A hearing assessment is a straightforward, painless process. Most take between 45 and 60 minutes, and there is nothing you need to do to prepare.

Here is a simple walk-through of what happens.

Before you arrive

You do not need a referral. You do not need to bring anything special. Just arrive relaxed, and, ideally, without earwax buildup, which can temporarily affect results. If you have been told you have a buildup, it is worth clearing that first.

1. A conversation about your hearing history

We begin by talking, not testing. We ask about your everyday experiences: where you find it harder to hear, how long you have noticed it, your lifestyle and work environment.

This shapes the whole assessment. Hearing is personal, and context matters.

2. Physical ear examination (otoscopy)

A small, lighted instrument is used to look inside each ear. This checks for wax, fluid, inflammation, or anything that could be affecting your hearing independently of the nerves and processing.

It is completely painless.

3. Pure tone audiometry

This is the core of the assessment. You sit in a quiet environment, wearing headphones, and press a button each time you hear a tone. The tones vary in pitch and volume across both ears.

The result is an audiogram, a map of your hearing across the range of frequencies important for speech and daily life.

4. Speech recognition testing

Pure tone audiometry shows how softly you can hear sounds. Speech testing shows how well you can understand them, a different and equally important measure.

You will be asked to repeat back words or sentences at different volumes.

5. Tympanometry (if needed)

A small probe checks the movement of your eardrum and the pressure in your middle ear. This helps identify whether any hearing difficulties are related to the outer or middle ear rather than the inner ear or auditory nerve.

6. Understanding your results

At the end, we explain what your audiogram means in plain language. Not in clinical jargon, in terms of how your hearing actually functions day to day.

If your hearing is within normal limits, we will tell you clearly, and give you any relevant guidance.

If there is a loss, we will explain what kind, what degree, what is likely causing it, and what options are available to you. There is no pressure to make any decisions on the day.

What assessment cannot tell you

An audiogram is a snapshot. It shows how well you hear certain tones and speech in a controlled setting. It does not capture everything, how your brain processes sound, how you cope with background noise, how hearing loss affects your daily confidence.

That is why the conversation before and after the test matters as much as the test itself.

Ready to book? Most people find the assessment far less daunting than they expected, and leave feeling much clearer about where they stand.