Appointments
Balance service
We offer appointments:
How to get an appointment
You can ask your GP or other health professional to refer you.
Changing or cancelling your appointment
Phone: 020 7188 8872
Email: [email protected]
Please let us know as soon as possible.
Before your appointment
Before your appointment, please make sure your GP or practice nurse has checked that there is no wax in your ears.
Please wear comfortable clothes to your appointment.
Please bring to your appointment:
- your appointment letter
- a list of the medicines you take
- any recent doctors' reports
Before your appointment do not:
- take any anti-dizziness medicines for at least 48 hours. Please ask your GP if it is safe for you to stop taking any medicines
- drink alcohol for at least 48 hours
- drink coffee on the morning of your appointment
- wear make-up around your eyes and ears
During your appointment
Your first appointment at the clinic usually lasts 2 to 3 hours.
You'll see an audiologist or a physiotherapist. Depending on your symptoms you may also see a doctor. They'll ask you questions about your symptoms and your medical history.
If needed, we will arrange some tests to help find out what is causing your symptoms.
What tests you may have
Hearing tests
You'll be asked to wear headphones and listen to sounds. You'll press a button every time you hear a noise.
You may also have a test where a small plug is placed in your ear. This checks how your ear reacts to gentle changes in air pressure.
Balance tests
These tests check how well your inner ear balance system is working.
You'll be asked to wear a special pair of goggles with a tiny camera inside. The camera watches how your eyes move while you look at different light patterns. This helps us see how your balance system sends signals to your eyes.
You may also have a test where an audiologist also gently moves your head left and right in small, quick movements, while you wear the goggles.
Some of the tests may make you feel slightly dizzy. This feeling should stop within a few minutes.
As a precaution we suggest that you do not drive immediately after the tests.
After your appointment
The physiotherapist or audiologist will tell you about the test results at the end of your appointment. Some of the test results will not be available until after your appointment. We'll send these to you and your GP through MyChart.
Depending on your symptoms and test results, we may ask you to come back to:
- see a consultant
- do more tests
- start rehabilitation with a physiotherapist
- get a hearing aid fitted
