Concierge audiology · London
Pure tone audiometry, the foundation hearing test — the audiogram.
Pure tone audiometry (PTA) tests hearing thresholds across frequencies (250 Hz to 8 kHz) using air and bone conduction. The foundation diagnostic hearing test — producing the audiogram used for every subsequent audiology decision.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right hands
We route you to an accredited audiologist working in a calibrated, sound-treated booth — the person who tests you is the person who reports.
- 02
Often answers same-day
Air and bone conduction thresholds are plotted on your audiogram in the room, with the interpretation walked through before you leave.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Key facts
The audiogram in six lines.
The essentials of pure tone audiometry — what it is, what it takes, what it delivers.
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Definition
The foundation diagnostic hearing test — the audiogram.
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20–30 minute test
Short, comfortable and non-invasive in a sound-treated booth.
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Air + bone conduction tested
Both pathways measured to characterise the type of hearing loss.
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Produces the audiogram
The single most important document in audiology — thresholds across 250 Hz to 8 kHz.
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Foundation of every audiology decision
Hearing aids, surgery, cochlear implants — all decisions start here.
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Sound-treated booth required
Ambient noise must be controlled for results to be diagnostic-grade.
Indicative pricing
What private pure tone audiometry costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A standard pure tone audiogram in our network: £120–£220, with the audiogram plotted in the room.
| Test type | Indicative range | Typical duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure tone audiometry (standard) | £120–£220 | 20–30 min | Same-day |
| PTA + tympanometry | £180–£320 | 30–40 min | Same-day |
| PTA + speech audiometry | £220–£380 | 45 min | Same-day |
| Full diagnostic audiology assessment | £280–£500 | 60 min | Same visit |
| Paediatric PTA (age-appropriate) | £200–£380 | 30–45 min | Same-day |
| PTA + consultant ENT opinion | £450–£850 | 60–90 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by clinic, whether tympanometry or speech audiometry are added, and whether a same-visit consultant ENT opinion is included. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The diagnostic pathway
From consultation to audiogram — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to interpreted audiogram — often within a single visit.
Phase 1 · Before your test
Consultation and otoscopy
Phase 2 · On the day
~20–30 minutes in the booth
Phase 3 · After
Interpretation and plan
- 01
Before
Audiology consultation
A short, confidential history — hearing difficulty, tinnitus, dizziness, noise exposure, family history and any prior testing.
- 02
Before
Otoscopy
The ear canal and tympanic membrane are examined before testing — wax and effusion change interpretation.
- 03
On the day
Sound-treated booth
You sit in a calibrated, sound-treated booth — the ambient noise floor is what makes results diagnostic-grade.
- 04
On the day
Air conduction thresholds
Headphones or insert earphones — the softest tone you can hear is charted at 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k and 8k Hz.
- 05
On the day
Bone conduction thresholds
A bone oscillator behind the ear bypasses the outer and middle ear — the air-bone gap is where the diagnosis lives.
- 06
After
Speech audiometry follow-on
If indicated, speech reception and word recognition are measured — the functional counterpart to the tone audiogram.
- 07
After
Structured plan
The audiogram is interpreted with you and a written report follows — with onward ENT, hearing-aid or cochlear-implant referral where indicated.
Typical end-to-end: a single visit. Onward ENT if needed: within days.
What it shows
The patterns pure tone audiometry reveals.
The audiogram is a map — every hearing-loss pattern has a shape, and each shape points to a diagnosis.
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Sensorineural hearing loss pattern
Symmetrical thresholds with no air-bone gap — cochlear or retrocochlear origin.
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Conductive hearing loss pattern
Normal bone conduction with reduced air conduction — an air-bone gap points to outer or middle ear.
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Mixed hearing loss
Elements of both — bone thresholds are also reduced, with a persistent air-bone gap.
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High-frequency loss (presbycusis, NIHL)
Down-sloping thresholds at 4–8 kHz — the audiometric signature of age and noise damage.
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Low-frequency loss (Ménière’s)
A rising audiogram with worse thresholds in the low frequencies — classical for endolymphatic hydrops.
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Air-bone gap (otosclerosis, effusion)
A stapes fixation or middle-ear effusion produces a characteristic air-bone gap.
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Asymmetric hearing loss
A gap between the two ears — vestibular schwannoma must be excluded with MRI.
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Red flag: sudden sensorineural hearing loss — urgent ENT
A drop of 30 dB or more over three contiguous frequencies within 72 hours is a same-day ENT referral.
Treatment options
Where the audiogram leads.
The audiogram is the starting point — these are the pathways it opens onto.
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Hearing-aid fitting
The audiogram is the prescription — thresholds drive the fitting formula for a modern digital aid.
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Bone-anchored hearing aid
For conductive or mixed losses and single-sided deafness — an osseointegrated implant transmits sound via the skull.
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Cochlear implant candidacy
For severe-to-profound sensorineural loss with limited benefit from acoustic amplification — assessment starts with the audiogram.
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Middle-ear surgery (otosclerosis)
Stapedotomy for an air-bone gap due to stapes fixation — audiometry defines the gap that surgery closes.
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Grommets (effusion)
Ventilation tubes for persistent middle-ear effusion with a conductive loss — most often paediatric.
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Steroid therapy (sudden SNHL)
Oral or intratympanic steroids started as early as possible — audiometry both diagnoses and monitors recovery.
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Hearing conservation programme
For occupational noise exposure — serial audiograms with ear-protection and workplace controls.
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Structured audiology follow-up
Serial audiograms at defined intervals — the only way to detect progression early.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of clinics, we picked them.
Partners across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinic in our network.
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Accredited audiologists (RCCP or HCPCS) in calibrated, sound-treated booths
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Standardised air and bone conduction protocols across the full frequency range
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Audiogram plotted and interpreted with you in the room
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Onward ENT, hearing-aid or cochlear-implant pathway when indicated
Red flags
When hearing loss needs urgent attention.
Most hearing loss is chronic and gradual — these are the presentations that are not, and where speed changes the outcome.
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Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
A drop of 30 dB or more across three contiguous frequencies within 72 hours — same-day ENT and steroids.
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Asymmetric SNHL (vestibular schwannoma)
A persistent gap between the two ears — MRI internal auditory meati is mandatory.
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Pulsatile tinnitus
Rhythmic tinnitus in time with the pulse — vascular imaging and ENT assessment.
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Vertigo with hearing loss
Ménière’s, labyrinthitis and vestibular schwannoma all need dedicated work-up.
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Post-head-injury hearing change
Temporal-bone fracture and ossicular disruption must be excluded — imaging plus PTA.
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Cholesteatoma with hearing loss
Otoscopy plus PTA and CT petrous temporal bone — surgical disease until proven otherwise.
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Otorrhoea with hearing loss
Persistent discharge with a conductive loss is chronic otitis media — active ENT management.
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Congenital hearing loss
Any hearing concern from birth or early childhood — dedicated paediatric audiology pathway.
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Occupational NIHL with tinnitus
Noise-induced loss with tinnitus in an occupational setting — audiogram, HAVS review and workplace assessment.
Reading your report
An audiogram can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.
A quiet reminder
The report is written for your doctor, not for you — and that’s normal.
If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and history
Your details, the reason for testing and the history that shapes interpretation.
- 02 Technique
Calibration and method
Booth, transducer, calibration reference and the frequencies tested — air and bone.
- 03 Findings
Audiogram — thresholds, symbols, PTA average
The plotted audiogram, the four-frequency pure tone average and any air-bone gap.
- 04 Impression
The conclusion: read this first
Type and configuration of any loss, and the concrete next step — hearing-aid, ENT or imaging.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about pure tone audiometry.
Quick answers on what it shows, how long it takes, whether it hurts, and when sudden hearing loss is urgent.
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What does pure tone audiometry show?
It measures the softest tones you can hear across the frequencies used for speech and music (250 Hz to 8 kHz), for both air and bone conduction, and plots them on an audiogram — the foundation document of audiology.
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How long does the test take?
The tone audiogram itself takes 20–30 minutes. If tympanometry or speech audiometry are added, allow 45–60 minutes in total.
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Does pure tone audiometry hurt?
Not at all — it is entirely non-invasive. You wear headphones or insert earphones and press a button when you hear a tone.
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Do I need a referral?
No — you can self-refer for private pure tone audiometry. A GP or ENT referral is helpful when insurance or onward pathway is involved.
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What is a sound-treated booth and why does it matter?
It is a calibrated room with a controlled ambient noise floor. Without it, thresholds cannot be measured accurately — testing outside a booth is not diagnostic-grade.
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What is sudden sensorineural hearing loss and why is it urgent?
A drop of 30 dB or more across three adjacent frequencies within 72 hours. The earlier steroid treatment is started, the better the chance of recovery — it is a same-day ENT problem, not a next-week appointment.
Sources
Guidance this page draws on.
- British Society of Audiology. Recommended procedures for pure tone air and bone conduction audiometry.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Pure tone audiometry.
- NICE. Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management (NG98).
- World Health Organization. World report on hearing.
Published 2026-07-30 · Reviewed 2026-07-30 · Next review 2027-07-30 · 4 min read
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In practice, in London
Getting pure tone audiometry sorted in London, without the guesswork
With pure tone audiometry, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. Public provision for pure tone audiometry is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.
A private pure tone audiometry pathway in London usually looks like this: an initial consultation, any diagnostics booked at a nearby facility (most within Zone 1 or 2), and a written report sent to you and your GP within a few days. The consultants we work with hold NHS posts alongside their private lists, which keeps the standards consistent across both settings. For pure tone audiometry specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private pure tone audiometry appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine — the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.
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