Hearing Loss Treatment

Yes — but what treatment means depends on the cause. Conductive hearing loss, where something in the outer or middle ear is blocking sound, can often be resolved: clearing impacted wax, treating an infection or draining fluid behind the eardrum usually brings hearing back. Sensorineural hearing loss, which comes from the inner ear and is usually caused by age or noise, is permanent — and it is managed very effectively with hearing aids that are measured and fine-tuned to your ears. A full diagnostic hearing test is what tells you which one you have.

Some hearing loss can. Where the cause is impacted ear wax, an ear infection, fluid behind the eardrum or, in some cases, a perforated eardrum, hearing generally returns once the cause is dealt with. Where the inner ear is involved the change is usually permanent, and treatment focuses on hearing aids rather than repair. The important exception is hearing that disappears suddenly: that is treated as an emergency because prompt medical treatment can recover it, so contact your GP urgently or NHS 111 the same day. VIP Hearing Solutions assesses which applies to you in a single appointment.

Conductive hearing loss happens in the outer or middle ear, where something is stopping sound from getting through — wax, infection, fluid or a problem with the small bones of the middle ear. It is often treatable and frequently temporary. Sensorineural hearing loss happens in the inner ear or the hearing nerve, most often through ageing or noise exposure. It is permanent, and hearing aids are the main treatment. Some people have both together, which is called mixed hearing loss.

You cannot tell from how it feels — the only reliable way is a diagnostic hearing test. At VIP Hearing Solutions that means otoscopy to look inside the ear, then pure-tone audiometry in a soundproof booth, plus further tests where your audiologist sees a clinical need. Those results separate a conductive problem from an inner-ear one, and you get them explained in the same appointment.

There is no fixed decibel threshold. NICE guidance is framed around impact rather than a number: it says to offer hearing aids to adults whose hearing loss affects their ability to communicate and hear. In practice that means the question is not how your audiogram scores, but whether you are missing things you want to hear. If you are struggling in restaurants, on the phone or with the television, that is the answer — regardless of where the line falls on the chart.

It depends on what the assessment finds. A full diagnostic hearing assessment is £100 in London, £40 at Eastcote (which also offers a free hearing screening test), and free at Brentwood. Microsuction ear wax removal is £65 for new patients — both ears included — at all three clinics, and if we find no wax, there is no charge. Hearing aids start from £3,295 per pair fitted, and every fitting includes a free 30-day trial with aftercare and follow-up appointments included. If wax turns out to be the cause, the assessment and removal may be the entire cost.

No. A cochlear implant is fitted surgically at a specialist implant centre, and VIP Hearing Solutions does not fit them or carry out ear surgery. Most implants in the UK are provided by NHS implant centres against national criteria, and a small number of private centres also offer them. What we can do is assess your hearing properly, tell you honestly whether an implant is worth exploring, and write a referral with your results attached so you reach the right service — your GP or an ENT specialist may also need to be involved, depending on the centre.

Yes. Every hearing aid fitting at VIP Hearing Solutions includes a free, no-obligation 30-day trial at home, at all three clinics. You wear them in your own life — your kitchen, your commute, your workplace — rather than judging them in a consulting room. If they are not right, you say so.

Treat it as urgent today. The NHS advises asking for an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111 if hearing goes suddenly in one or both ears. NICE asks that a hearing loss which came on over three days or less within the past 30 days be seen within 24 hours. The usual treatment is steroids and it works best when started quickly — UCLH has urged doctors to treat sudden hearing loss within seven days. Do not wait for a private appointment. Book one with us afterwards, once the urgent medical care is under way.

They are different, and honestly both are good options depending on what you need. The NHS provides hearing aids free of charge and its audiology is clinically sound, but waiting times can be long and the choice of device is limited. Private care at VIP Hearing Solutions means you are seen within the same week, you choose from all seven major manufacturers, your aids are measured in your own ear canal, and your aftercare is with the same clinician. Which suits you comes down to how long you are willing to wait and how much the choice of device matters to you.

No — VIP Hearing Solutions is an adult service, for patients aged 18 and over, and we do not offer paediatric audiology or home visits. Children's hearing is assessed through NHS paediatric audiology, and your GP or health visitor can refer them.