Pure tone audiometry

Duration: 20 minutes
Description: You will wear headphones and press a button each time you hear a bleep sound.
Purpose: Hearing test that checks the thresholds of hearing across a range of frequencies (pitches).

Tympanometry

Duration: 2 minutes
Description: You will have a soft sensor placed into the ear then feel a change of air pressure occur in the ear canal.
Purpose: Auditory test that checks the movement of the ear drum and middle ear condition.

Speech audiometry

Duration: 30 minutes
Description: You will listen to words coming through headphones and repeat them back to the Audiologist. The words are presented at different loudness levels throughout the test.
Purpose: Hearing test that checks the ability to accurately recognise speech.

Acoustic reflex testing

Duration: 15 minutes
Description: You will hear loud bleep sounds delivered from soft sensors placed in both ears while sitting quietly.

Purpose: Hearing test that checks the neural reflex between middle ear and brain.

Otoacoustic emissions

Duration: 15 minutes
Description: You will hear clicks and humming sounds delivered from soft sensors placed in the ears while sitting quietly.
Purpose: Hearing test that checks the cochlea outer hair cell function in the inner ear.

Auditory brainstem response

Duration: 30 minutes
Description: You will hear loud clicks  delivered by headphones while resting.  The responses are recorded by sensors placed on your head.
Purpose: Hearing test that checks the function of the hearing nerves.

Auditory processing tests

Duration: 90 minutes
Description: You will listen to sounds or speech  and be asked to repeat what you hear.
Purpose: Hearing tests that assess the individual’s  central nervous system ability to process non-speech or speech sounds.

Cortical evoked response audiometry

Duration: 60 minutes
Description: You will listen to bleeps delivered by headphones while sitting in a chair and reading a book. The responses are recorded by sensors placed on your head.
Purpose: Hearing test that checks the function of the auditory cortex of the brain..

Caloric test

Duration: 1 hour
Description: You will  lie down wearing a pair of video goggles in the dark.  Warm and cool water will be irrigated into the ear canal for 30 seconds each time. Responses will be recorded from your eyes. You will most likely feel dizzy for 1-2  minutes each time but that completely resolves afterwards.  Purpose: Balance test that checks the function arising from peripheral areas of the vestibular system.

Eye movement and rotating chair test (ENG and VNG recording)

Duration: 30 minutes
Description: You will  need to follow the movement of a small light with your eyes while sitting in the dark keeping your head still.. The chair will move slowly round in a circle or side-to-side for about five minutes Responses will be obtained from your eyes recorded by sensors or video goggles. You should not feel dizzy once the test has been completed.
Purpose: Balance test that checks if the eyes can follow targets and move normally in response to chair rotations.

Posturography

Duration: 20 minutes
Description: You will stand on a platform with a visual surround. At times, the platform may tilt or the surround may move and your stability is measured with eyes open and closed. You wear a harness to keep you safe from falling.
Purpose: Balance test that checks your strategy to maintain balance in different conditions.

Video head impulse test (vHIT)

Duration: 20 minutes
Description: You will wear video goggles whilst sitting and focusing on a fixed target. The tester moves your head quickly side-to-side and up-and-down whilst recording your eyes.
Purpose: Balance test that checks  the function of  peripheral vestibular function .

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP and cVEMP)

Duration: 45 minutes
Description: You will hear loud clicks whilst sitting. Sensors will be placed on your face and/or neck to record responses from different muscles. You will need to active relevant muscles by turning head or looking up and maintain the position for 20 seconds each time
Purpose: Balance test that checks a muscle response mediated by the vestibular system. It provides ear-specific information about otolith and vestibular nerve function.

Positional tests (Dix Hallpike test , roll test and TRV chair)

Duration: 30 minutes
Description: You will be laid down quickly from a sitting position whilst facing  sideways or upright.  Responses will be recorded from your eyes by direct observation or video goggles. You may feel dizzy in response to the movement, which passes after 30 seconds or so in most cases.
Purpose: Balance test that checks for positional vertigo relating to benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV).