Hearing Testing West Malling, Kings Hill and Kent
We offer a full range of diagnostic services for adults and children of all ages to ensure that any hearing loss or hearing related condition is quickly and correctly diagnosed, expertly treated and effectively managed, helping you enjoy the best possible hearing and quality of life.
Dr Priya Carling AuD, RHAD and her team offer some of the most comprehensive hearing tests available, combining their knowledge and expertise with the use of the most modern techniques and technologies to evaluate and diagnose hearing loss and other hearing conditions. This gives Dr Carling the detailed diagnostic information with which to provide the most effective treatment recommendations, tailored precisely to the condition, needs and lifestyle of each individual patient.
This will usually include a long-term, personalised hearing management plan to ensure that you continue to hear as well as possible, both now and in the future. It may also include onward referral to your GP, ear nose and throat (ENT) specialists, or other specialist doctors or surgeons, as and when required.
We also offer free hearing checks for both new and existing patients. This is a 15-minute hearing screening procedure that can identify the likelihood of hearing loss and to determine whether a full hearing assessment is required.
To book your appointment please call us on 01732 525912
“I was suffering from earache for 5 weeks and Dr Priya helped me out of this long nightmare. I recommend Dr Priya to everyone who needs help with hearing and ear problems.”
Anna
What does a hearing test at Kent Hearing involve?
A hearing test at Kent Hearing will usually take about 60 minutes and we encourage you to bring your partner or a close family member with you if you wish.
We will start by asking you about your hearing, any hearing difficulties or symptoms you may have, your lifestyle and your different hearing situations.
We will examine your ears, ear canal and eardrum using an otoscope or a high-powered microscope, to check the overall condition and health of your ears.
Then, we will undertake a series of tests to evaluate how you listen to and respond to sounds of different loudness levels and how you respond to words and speech in the presence of background noise.
We will ask you to wear headphones for some of these tests. If any further specialised tests are required at this stage, Dr Carling will explain and perform these.
We will then evaluate the test results and share our findings with you. If you have any form of hearing loss we will discuss and explain this in detail and recommend a personalised hearing management plan for you, involving family or significant others throughout this process as appropriate. We can also communicate or work with other healthcare professionals as required, making written referrals for further investigation and treatments should we feel that this is necessary.
If hearing aids or any other hearing devices or technologies are needed, we will make personalised recommendations to match your individual needs and lifestyle, but you are under no obligation to purchase these from us.
Hearing tests at Kent Hearing are painless and non-invasive. In fact, many patients often comment that they find their hearing test an interesting and informative experience.
All adult hearing tests at Kent Hearing are undertaken by Dr Priya Carling RHAD, AuD or Danielle Krabbenhoft BA (Hons). You can find more details on our Team page
To book your hearing test, please call us on 01732 525912 or use the form below.
Hearing tests for children
We are one of the very few private audiology practices in Kent to diagnose children’s hearing issues and conditions. We treat children of all ages, including babies from the age of 6 months.
Children’s hearing testing is undertaken by either Dr Carling or by Ruth Bannister BSc, a highly experienced paediatric audiologist, with Dr Carling overseeing all patient testing and treatment recommendations.
To discuss your child’s hearing test, please call us on 01732 525912
Why it’s important to have your hearing tested
If you have noticed any change in your hearing, if voices sound muffled, or if you are struggling to hear background noise, it is very important to have a hearing test. Hearing loss can affect anyone, at any stage in life and often it is friends or relatives who notice it first. The sooner a hearing loss is identified and treated, the sooner you will be on the path to better hearing health.
If left untreated, hearing loss will almost always get progressively worse, and is associated with several other conditions including depression, social isolation, reduced alertness and an increased risk to personal safety. Many studies have also shown strong links between hearing loss and dementia, diabetes and heart disease.
It is also advisable to book a hearing test if you have been exposed to loud noises, or if you are suffering with Tinnitus a ringing, hissing or buzzing sound in your ears) or if there is a history of hearing loss in your family, as hearing loss can be genetic.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a hearing test last?
A full hearing test at Kent Hearing will typically last for about 60 minutes. This will give Dr Carling AuD, RHAD, the time required to discuss your symptoms with you, to undertake all the necessary checks and tests to make a full and expert diagnosis, before discussing personalised treatment options with you.
Paediatric hearing tests (hearing tests for children) may require more time and we usually allow 90 minutes for children’s appointments. Please call us on 01732 525912 to book an appointment for your child.
Will I need to have hearing aids after a hearing test?
What is the difference between a hearing test and a hearing check?
There is a fundamental difference between a full hearing test and a hearing check. A hearing test is a comprehensive examination of the health your ears and an extensive evaluation of your hearing and your response to sounds and noise. This full assessment of your hearing health will take approximately 60 minutes and enable Dr Carling and her team to identify the cause and extent of any hearing loss and to recommend a long-term hearing management plan for you to move forward with.
A hearing check is a short hearing screening that can identify possible hearing loss. If a hearing loss is identified, then a full hearing assessment with detailed hearing tests and evaluation will be necessary to determine both the cause and extent of the loss. This will enable us to recommend the best personalised treatment plan for you and your hearing.
We offer a limited number of free hearing checks for both new and existing patients. There is a charge for all full hearing tests and consultations. This will be quoted to you when you book your appointment, according to your symptoms and needs.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Over 466 million people suffer with a disabling hearing loss. That is over 5% of the world’s population!
- In the UK over 12 million people suffer with hearing loss. That means that 1 in 6 people in the UK suffer with a hearing condition.
- Hearing loss can dramatically affect not just your hearing, but it can impact hugely on work, family and social life and well as your physical and mental health.
- Hearing loss can be caused by a large number of factors, including noise exposure, genetics/family history and ear disease.
- Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) is often linked to hearing loss. You should get your hearing checked if you have any noises in the ears in the absence of obvious external noise.
Kent Hearing was established in 2017 by Dr Priya Carling AuD, RHAD to provide excellence in all aspects of hearing health and rehabilitation. We offer an entirely patient-centred approach to hearing care, putting the individual needs and well-being of each patient at the heart of what we do. The services we offer include hearing tests and diagnostics, hearing aids, tinnitus management, earwax removal and custom devices.
Kent Hearing is also one of the very few audiology practices in Kent to offer comprehensive children’s hearing services.
Dr Carling AuD, RHAD was previously Director of Education at the UCL Ear Institute, London, and prior to this, Head of Audiology, Neurophysiology and Speech Therapy at the BUPA Cromwell Hospital, London and Head of Audiology for East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Her team at Kent hearing also include other highly experienced audiology professionals and consultants.
