Behind the ear
The case sits behind the ear with a tube to the ear canal. Sturdy, easy to handle and suited to a wide range of hearing losses.
From the first beep to the six week check
Seashell Hearing Centre tests adults' hearing, fits hearing aids to the results and looks after them for as long as you wear them. Each step is explained before it happens, and a partner or friend is welcome at every appointment.
60 minfull hearing test with results
2 reviewsin the six weeks after fitting
Tuesdaysrepair drop in, 14:00 to 16:00
Your hearing test, minute by minute
A full test takes about an hour, and none of it hurts. Times are approximate, and you can pause for a break whenever you like.
| Roughly when | What happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| First 10 minutes | Questions about where hearing is hardest, ringing in the ears, past ear trouble, noise at work and medicines | Your answers decide which tests follow and what matters most to you |
| Next 5 minutes | A look into each ear with a lighted scope, with the picture shown on a screen | Wax or a problem in the ear canal can change the results |
| Next 5 minutes | A gentle pressure check of the eardrum with a small soft probe | Shows whether the middle ear moves as it should |
| Next 20 minutes | Beeps at different pitches through headphones, pressing a button each time one is heard | Finds the quietest sound you can hear at each pitch |
| Next 10 minutes | Words spoken with and without background chatter | Shows how speech comes through in noisy places |
| Last 10 minutes | Your results drawn on a chart called an audiogram, then explained | You leave knowing what was found and what the choices are |
Hearing that drops away suddenly, over a few hours or days, needs a doctor today rather than a test here. Facial weakness, slurred words or sudden severe dizziness alongside it mean ringing your local emergency number.
Reading your audiogram together
The audiogram is a simple chart. Pitch runs from low to high across the page, and loudness from soft at the top to loud at the bottom. Each ear gets its own line of marks, and the lower the marks sit, the louder a sound has to be before you notice it.
We point out which everyday sounds fall in the range you are missing, such as birdsong, children's voices or the consonants that make speech crisp. Then we talk through the choices, which might be hearing aids, a recheck in a year or a referral to a doctor.
- A printed copy of your audiogram to keep
- Choices set out, with no decision needed on the day
- Results sent to your doctor if you ask
- A referral advised when something needs a medical look
Fitting day and the six weeks after
Getting used to hearing aids takes weeks rather than minutes, so the first six weeks are planned before you start.
Choosing together
At a separate appointment we compare styles, features and prices in writing, and you listen through a demonstration aid.
Fitting
The aids are set to your audiogram, then checked with a thin tube in the ear canal that measures the sound actually reaching your eardrum.
Two week review (example reviews)
After two weeks of daily wear, the settings are adjusted to what you have noticed at home, at work and in busy places.
Six week review (example reviews)
A final adjustment, a cleaning lesson and a plan for yearly checks. If the model does not suit you by now, we swap it at no extra fitting charge.
Hearing aid styles, without the brochure language
Each style is made by several manufacturers, and we fit most of them. Which one suits you depends on your audiogram, your ears, your hands and your day.
Receiver in the canal
A small case behind the ear and a thin wire to a speaker inside the canal. A frequent choice for mild to moderate losses.
In the ear
Made from an impression of your ear and worn inside it. Easier for some people who wear glasses, though larger than other styles.
Deep in the canal
Very small and placed well inside the ear canal. Suits only some ears and some losses, and the batteries are tiny to change.
Rechargeable or battery
Rechargeable aids sit in a charger overnight; battery aids need a new cell every few days. We help you weigh up both.
Calls and television
Many aids can play phone calls and television sound straight into the ears. We set this up and show you how to use it.
No hearing aid gives back the hearing you had before. What aids can do is make speech easier to follow for many wearers, and how much they help varies from one person to the next.
Tests, aids and aftercare, priced
Prices for hearing aids include choosing, fitting, both reviews and a year of aftercare.
Full hearing test
fixed fee$75
- Ear check, pressure test, tones and speech
- Audiogram printed and explained
- No talk of hearing aids unless you ask
Hearing aids, a pair
a pair, from$1,450
- Real ear measurement at fitting
- Model swapped by six weeks if it does not suit
- A year of cleaning and adjustments
Repairs and servicing
from$20
- New domes, filters and tubing
- Aids bought elsewhere looked at too
- A loan aid while yours is away
Whether anyone else pays towards a test or a pair of aids depends on your country, your age and sometimes your work, so ask your insurer or public scheme first. Every quote for aids is written down before anything is ordered.
Wearers and their families, a few weeks in (example reviews)
The audiogram was explained with examples from daily life, which finally made sense of missing the grandchildren's voices. The aids took a few weeks to settle, just as the fitting day had warned.
Came along with a husband who had put this off for years. The tube in the ear showed exactly what the aids were doing, and the two week review softened the clatter of cutlery.
Walked in on a Tuesday with a whistling aid bought somewhere else. New tubing and a proper clean, done while waiting with a cup of tea.
Inside Seashell
A quiet test room, a fitting room with a screen for your audiogram, and a bench where small repairs happen while you wait.
Book a test or a fitting appointment
Pick the appointment and a day, and tell us whether anyone is coming with you. The centre confirms the time within one working day.
Sudden hearing loss is not something to book online. Please see a doctor the same day instead.
- Partners and friends welcome at every visit
- Hearing loop at the counter and in both rooms
- Pay at the centre after the appointment
Before the test, and after the fitting
How long does it take to get used to hearing aids?
Most people need several weeks of daily wear. Your own voice, cutlery and running taps can sound loud at first, which is why the reviews at two and six weeks are included in the price.
Is one hearing aid enough?
When both ears have a hearing loss, two aids usually make it easier to tell where sounds come from and to follow speech in noise. When only one ear is affected, one aid may be right. Your audiogram decides, and we explain the choice.
What is real ear measurement?
A thin, soft tube is placed in the ear canal beside the hearing aid to measure the sound reaching the eardrum. It checks that the aid delivers what your audiogram calls for, instead of relying on a general setting.
Can a partner come to the appointments?
Yes, and we encourage it. A familiar voice helps during the fitting, and a second person often remembers the cleaning steps that slip the mind.
Do you look after hearing aids bought elsewhere?
Yes, for most makes and styles. Tuesday afternoons are a repair drop in with no appointment needed, and a loan aid is offered if yours has to be sent away.
Can a hearing test find the cause of hearing loss?
A hearing test measures how well you hear; it does not diagnose the cause. When the results or the look inside your ears suggest something medical, the next step is a letter to your doctor or a clear suggestion to book with one.
Visiting Seashell
Call, email or come in; the counter and both rooms have a hearing loop.
Reach the centre
A shopfront on the market square with level entry, a quiet side room and a hearing loop at the counter
Opening hours
| Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Tuesday and Thursday | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 to 13:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Tuesday repair drop in
Bring any aid that is whistling, crackling or silent between 14:00 and 16:00 on a Tuesday. Most small repairs are finished while you wait.