Audiology

Hearing loss is the result of sound signals not reaching the brain and can be caused by various factors such as age, noise exposure, infections or even ear wax. 

Depending on the cause, some hearing losses can be resolved. For example, a loss caused by ear wax can simply be fixed by removing the wax. More permanent hearing loss, such as age-related changes in hearing, can’t be reversed but may be managed well through the use of hearing aids.

Your ears will be examined to rule out any obvious causes for hearing loss such as wax. We will then perform a hearing test. The test itself is very simple to perform. 

We simply ask you to press a button for any of the sounds you hear through some specialised headphones. From this we can determine your hearing levels and make recommendations based on these.

The audiology service also has a highly skilled nurse practitioner, so if your hearing loss is caused by wax, we would recommend an appointment with them to have this removed. 

If your hearing loss is more permanent, like those we tend to see with age related losses, then we may recommend hearing aids as an option to manage your hearing difficulties. Here at Northumbria Health we do offer digital hearing aids which come in a range of styles, technology levels and prices to suit most budgets.

Tinnitus isn’t a disease or an illness itself, but it’s a symptom of something else. It’s unlikely to be caused by any serious underlying condition, and while there’s no medical cure for tinnitus, there are strategies you can use to help you cope better with it. 

Tinnitus can be a symptom of hearing loss, so this is why we perform a hearing test with you in your tinnitus assessment appointment. Depending on the results from this and the answers to your medical and lifestyle questions will determine the management options available to you.