What Happens During a Hearing Test?
A hearing test should never feel rushed, or confusing. At Audibility, we take time to explain every step, answer your questions, and make sure you feel completely comfortable throughout the appointment. If you’ve never had a hearing test before — or it’s been a long time — here’s exactly what you can expect when you visit our Motherwell clinic.
1. A Warm Welcome and a Conversation About Your Hearing
Every appointment begins with a conversation. We’ll ask about your hearing, any changes you’ve noticed, and how things are affecting day‑to‑day life. This helps us understand the full picture — not just the results on a graph.
Many people tell us they feel nervous before their first test. That’s completely normal. Our job is to reassure you, explain everything clearly, and make sure you feel at ease.
2. A Health Check of Your Ears
Before any hearing test, we examine your ears using a video otoscope. This lets us check for wax, infection, irritation or anything else that might affect your hearing. You’ll see everything on the screen too — it’s simple, clear and surprisingly interesting.
If we spot anything that needs attention, we’ll talk you through your options. Sometimes a hearing test can’t be completed until wax is removed, but we’ll always explain why.
3. Pure Tone Audiometry (The “Press the Button” Test)
This is the part most people recognise. You’ll sit comfortably inside our sound‑treated audiometry booth while we play a series of tones at different volumes and pitches. Every time you hear a sound — even a very faint one — you press a button.
This test helps us understand the quietest sounds you can hear across the full range of speech frequencies. It’s painless, straightforward and takes just a few minutes.
4. Speech Testing
Hearing tones is one thing — understanding speech is another. That’s why we also carry out speech testing. You’ll listen to words or sentences at different volumes, sometimes with gentle background noise, and repeat what you hear.
This gives us a real‑world picture of how your hearing performs in everyday situations like conversations, restaurants or family gatherings.
5. Your Results Explained Clearly
Once the tests are complete, we’ll go through your results together. You’ll see your audiogram, understand what it means, and have plenty of time to ask questions.
We’ll explain:
- how well you hear different frequencies
- whether any hearing loss is present
- what might be causing it
- what your next steps could be
There’s never any pressure. Our role is to give you clear information so you can make confident decisions about your hearing health.
6. Personalised Recommendations (If Needed)
If your hearing test shows a change in your hearing, we’ll talk through your options. This might include hearing aids, communication strategies, or simply monitoring things over time.
Every recommendation is tailored to you — your lifestyle, your needs and your goals.
Ready to Book Your Hearing Test?
If you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, or simply want a clear picture of your hearing health, we’re here to help. Our appointments are relaxed, thorough and designed to give you complete peace of mind.
Call us on 01698 632626 or book online to arrange your hearing test at Audibility Hearing Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a hearing test take?
A full hearing test at Audibility usually takes around 60 minutes. This includes a conversation about your hearing, a health check of your ears, pure tone audiometry, speech testing and a clear explanation of your results.
Does a hearing test hurt?
No — a hearing test is completely painless. You simply listen to sounds and speech at different volumes. Most people find the process comfortable, relaxed and surprisingly interesting.
Do I need to prepare for a hearing test?
You don’t need to do anything special. If you wear hearing aids, bring them with you. If you suspect ear wax, we will check your ears first and let you know if wax removal is needed before testing.
What if my hearing test shows hearing loss?
If your results show a change in your hearing, we will talk through your options clearly and without pressure. This may include hearing aids, communication strategies or simply monitoring your hearing over time.