Skip to main content

Audiology · London

Private tympanometry and hearing tests in London, by an audiologist or ENT.

A quick, painless middle-ear and hearing assessment - with same-visit ENT if anything needs specialist review.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What private tympanometry and hearing tests cost in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£70-£150; a full adult hearing assessment £150-£350.

Scan type Indicative range
Tympanometry only £70–£150
Pure-tone audiometry £100–£220
Full adult hearing assessment £150–£350
Paediatric hearing assessment £180–£400
Tinnitus assessment £250–£500
Full ENT + audiology package £400–£800

Prices vary by clinic, whether an ENT surgeon is included, and whether wax removal is needed first.

The problem

An audiogram alone doesn't tell the whole story.

Hearing thresholds are only half the picture. Middle-ear pressure, mobility of the eardrum, and speech-in-noise all matter - and each needs its own test. Matching the assessment to what you are actually noticing is the entire job.

  • Feeling of pressure or fullness?

    Tympanometry checks the middle ear directly - a hearing test alone will miss it.

  • Struggling in noisy rooms?

    A speech-in-noise test alongside the audiogram gets closer to real-life hearing.

  • Want an ENT surgeon in the same visit?

    Some clinics have a consultant ENT who can see you the same day if the audiogram flags anything - worth asking about.

What it shows

Find the test that matches your symptom.

Ear symptoms vary widely - from a blocked feeling to sudden loss. These are the questions most often asked.

  • Otitis media with effusion

    Detects glue ear - fluid behind the eardrum, common in children and after colds.

  • Tympanic membrane perforation

    Confirms a hole in the eardrum and how it affects hearing.

  • Otosclerosis

    Suggests stiffening of the middle-ear bones, a treatable cause of hearing loss.

  • Eustachian tube dysfunction

    Explains the blocked, popping or pressure feeling that will not settle.

  • Hearing loss assessment

    Characterises hearing loss as conductive, sensorineural or mixed - and by how much.

  • Tinnitus work-up

    Pitch and loudness matching, plus an audiogram to look for an underlying cause.

  • Vertigo work-up

    Rules the middle ear in or out as a contributor to dizziness and imbalance.

Hearing tests

Not all hearing tests are the same.

What each option on your referral is actually for.

  • Tympanometry

    A quick pressure test of the middle ear - objective, painless, ten minutes.

  • Pure-tone audiometry

    The classic beep-in-headphones test that maps your hearing threshold at each frequency.

  • Full adult hearing assessment

    Otoscopy, tympanometry, audiometry and speech-in-noise, with an audiologist explaining it all.

  • Paediatric hearing assessment

    Age-appropriate testing by a specialist paediatric audiologist, in a child-friendly booth.

  • Tinnitus assessment

    A structured work-up of ringing, buzzing or hissing sounds, and what can be done about them.

  • Vestibular assessment

    Balance testing when dizziness may have an inner-ear cause.

  • Occupational hearing screen

    Compliance-grade screening for noise-exposed workers and pre-employment checks.

  • Full ENT + audiology package

    Consultant ENT surgeon plus full audiology in a single visit, with a plan by the end.

Safety and eligibility

One of the gentlest tests in medicine.

Tympanometry is painless and takes ten minutes. The practical points are wax, timing after a cold - and knowing when a symptom is an emergency.

  • Sudden hearing loss is an emergency

    One-sided hearing loss coming on over hours or a day needs same-day ENT.

  • A painless test

    Tympanometry uses a soft rubber tip and a puff of air. No needles, no discomfort.

  • A warm room helps

    The ear canal opens up when you are warm - cold ears can give a slightly odd tympanogram.

  • Earwax may need removing first

    If wax blocks the canal, testing is unreliable.

  • Children need a specialist

    Child assessment needs a specialist paediatric audiologist, not just an adult clinic squeezing them in.

  • Recent colds affect results

    Blocked eustachian tubes from a cold or flight can skew tympanometry - retesting later may be needed.

  • Tinnitus takes longer

    A tinnitus assessment is a full hour - pitch matching, loudness matching and counselling all matter.

  • Hearing aids are not rushed

    A good aid needs time to fit and fine-tune, so avoid being sold the first thing on the shelf.

Reading your report

An audiogram can look intimidating. It isn't.

Whether tympanometry alone or a full hearing assessment, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A UK consultant audiologist reviewing an audiogram and tympanogram

A quiet reminder

If anything in your report is unclear, ask your audiologist or GP to talk you through it.

  1. 01 Header

    Your details and the question

    Your details, which tests were done, and the symptoms behind them.

  2. 02 Technique

    Which tests were performed

    Otoscopy, tympanometry, pure-tone audiometry, speech testing - each answers a different question.

  3. 03 Findings

    The audiogram and tympanogram

    Your hearing thresholds at each frequency, and middle-ear pressure and compliance for each ear.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    Normal, conductive, sensorineural or mixed loss - and the next step, whether that is watchful waiting, hearing aids or ENT review.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Common questions about tympanometry and hearing tests.

Quick answers on cost, referrals, children, wax, tinnitus and when to see a GP urgently.

  • What does tympanometry measure?

    It measures how well your eardrum moves as air pressure changes in the ear canal, and how well the middle ear is functioning. It picks up fluid, a perforation, stiffness of the middle-ear bones and eustachian tube problems - objectively, in about ten minutes.

  • How is tympanometry different from a hearing test?

    Tympanometry checks the middle ear. Pure-tone audiometry checks your hearing thresholds. They answer different questions, and most patients benefit from both - which is why a full hearing assessment includes them together.

  • How much does tympanometry cost privately in London?

    Tympanometry alone is typically £70-£150. Paired with a full hearing assessment it is £150-£350. A tinnitus work-up is £250-£500.

  • Do I need a referral?

    No. Audiology accepts self-referral. If the pattern of your symptoms suggests an ENT surgeon should see you, some clinics can arrange that the same visit - worth asking before you book.

  • Is a child hearing test different from an adult one?

    Yes. Children need a specialist paediatric audiologist using age-appropriate techniques - play audiometry, visual reinforcement, or standard audiometry depending on age. Choose a clinic equipped for this.

  • What if I have earwax?

    Wax blocking the canal makes both tympanometry and audiometry unreliable. If it is seen on the day, safe microsuction removal can usually be done first so the test still happens in one visit.

  • I have suddenly lost hearing in one ear - what do I do?

    Treat it as an emergency. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss needs ENT assessment the same day, because early steroid treatment can protect your hearing.

  • Will I need hearing aids?

    Only if the audiogram and your day-to-day symptoms point that way. A clinic that fits properly and is not commission-driven is the one to choose. Nothing is decided on a first visit.

  • Can you assess tinnitus?

    Yes. A proper tinnitus assessment is a full hour and includes an audiogram, pitch and loudness matching, and a plan - sound therapy, aids, or ENT review if a cause is suspected.

  • When should I see a GP urgently instead?

    Sudden hearing loss, sudden severe vertigo, facial weakness, a discharging ear with fever, or hearing loss after a head injury - all need same-day medical review, not a routine audiology appointment.

Related tests

Looking for something else?

In practice, in London

The London pathway for tympanometry

With tympanometry, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. The wait for tympanometry on the NHS depends heavily on where you live and how urgently the referral is graded. Central and West London private clinics can normally book within a week, with imaging or a procedure slot to follow shortly after. It’s worth being honest about the reason for going private: usually it’s time, not a fundamentally different test.

The mechanics are straightforward: a consultant appointment, any tests done at a nearby CQC-registered site, and a written report back within a few days. London’s density of private diagnostics - Marylebone, the City, Chelsea, Canary Wharf - means most patients can find something that fits around work without a cross-town trek. For tympanometry specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

There are a lot of consultants in London who can technically handle tympanometry. Fewer who do it week in, week out for the exact question you’re bringing. It is worth asking how often the clinician does this test, and whether a different test or a different specialist would serve you better.