Whether you are looking for a free hearing test, a more comprehensive diagnostic test, or information about hearing loss, hearing aids, tinnitus or hearing protection, Sound Advice Hearing offers a friendly and professional service to assist you. We also offer a range of wax removal services (being the first private audiology centre in the East of England to do so) and stock a wide range of hearing aid accessories and related products.
We have just invested in the very latest ‘state of the art’ testing equipment, enabling us to provide some of the most sophisticated and in-depth testing in the area. As well as our ‘free’ hearing test, we can offer a complete clinical diagnostic test to include:
Extended Frequency range testing – to test all of your hearing spectrum
Video Otoscopy – a video look at the ear canal
Tympanometry – a test to measure the function of the middle ear
Tinnitus Assessment – psychoacoustical tests like pitch & loudness matching
Speech testing
Speech in noise testing – an important test as that is where most people have hearing difficulties
If you have hearing aids from elsewhere, we are more than happy to give you advice on these, and we can also provide an ongoing, after-care package to suit you.
Ear wax removal service is available
Irrigation
One of the most frequent ways to remove wax in general practice is by ear irrigation. This is generally a quick and painless procedure but cannot be carried out if the person has had any ear surgery, recent infections, or eardrum perforation.
During this procedure, the person sits in a chair and the ear is rinsed with warm water from an electronic irrigator. The wax and water are collected in a small tank which the patient holds under their ear. In the past clinicians used a large metal syringe; however, the new electronic irrigators, which have controlled pressures, are gentler and safer. Ear irrigation does make some noise but this is not excessive or uncomfortable. Most people who have irrigation find it to be a fairly pleasant procedure.
Micro-Suction
Wax can also be removed by micro-suction. This is a less invasive procedure compared to irrigation and can be carried out on people with whom irrigation is unsuitable, or for those who prefer not to have water in their ears. For this procedure, the ear canal is suctioned via a small nose connected to a vacuum pump which gently suctions the earwax. The procedure is quick, safe and painless, and doesn’t involve putting water into your ear. Like irrigation, there is some noise but it is not excessive or uncomfortable.
Endoscopic Micro Suction
E-suction™ gently vacuums ear wax out of the ear under direct vision using a specially developed iCLEARscope™ endoscope. This provides an alternative method of visualising the ear wax with an endoscope rather than using loupes or an operating microscope commonly used for micro suction and instrumentation.
Wax may also be removed by a clinician using a headlight/endoscope and instruments. Instrumentation may be used in conjunction with the above procedures to provide an effective method of removing earwax.
