A home visit hearing specialist brings the appointment to you, so you do not need to travel anywhere or sit in a waiting room. Baz Chandarana, an HCPC registered audiologist, visits homes across North Leicestershire for earwax removal, hearing tests and hearing aid fittings, with five years of free aftercare on hearing aids.

Most people only start thinking about where to go for hearing care once something has gone wrong. Muffled sound and a whistling hearing aid are both good moments to ask whether a trip to a high street clinic is really the easiest way to get it sorted. For plenty of people in Mountsorrel, Rothley, Quorn and the villages around them, it is easier to have the appointment at home. This guide explains what a home visit involves, who it suits and what to expect on the day.

What a home visit hearing service actually is

Waxy Clear is a mobile service, so every appointment is a home visit. There is no clinic to travel to. Baz brings his equipment, sets up in a room you choose and carries out the appointment there, which means the whole service is built around making a home visit work well.

The services he offers are:

1. Endoscopic microsuction earwax removal
2. Hearing tests
3. Hearing aid fittings, with five years of free aftercare

What happens at a home visit

Here is what to expect on the day.

1. You book a time that suits you and let us know which village you are in, so we can confirm you are within the area Baz covers.
2. Baz arrives at the agreed time and introduces himself.
3. He asks you to show him a quiet room with a comfortable seat and good light. Switching off the television and radio beforehand helps, particularly if you are having a hearing test.
4. He asks about your hearing and your ear history, including any past infections, surgery or hearing aids.
5. He looks into your ears with a small camera, so he can see what is going on before anything else happens.
6. He carries out whatever you booked: earwax removal, a hearing test, or a conversation about hearing aids.
7. He explains what he found and what happens next, and tells you if you need to see your GP.

There is no queue to join and nowhere to rush off to afterwards. When the appointment is over, you are already at home.

The practical reasons people choose a home visit

1. No travelling. You do not need to drive, arrange a lift or work out the bus times. For many people the trip itself is the hardest part of the whole appointment.
2. No parking. Finding a space near a busy high street can take longer than the appointment, and some people avoid going altogether because of it.
3. No waiting room. A home visit starts when Baz arrives, which helps if you are managing a busy day or find sitting in a waiting area uncomfortable.
4. Easier with limited mobility. If getting in and out of the car, walking from a car park or managing steps is difficult, having the appointment at home removes all of that.
5. Easier for carers and family. If you look after a relative, arranging transport around work and other commitments can be a real strain. A home visit means one fewer thing to organise.
6. A calmer setting. Some people feel anxious in clinical surroundings. Being in your own chair, in your own room, tends to put people at ease.
7. Family can sit in. If a partner or son or daughter would like to hear what is said, they can be in the room without having to travel anywhere.
8. Hearing tested where you live. Talking about the listening situations you find hardest is easier when you are sitting in the room where they happen, whether that is the lounge with the television on or the kitchen table at mealtimes.
9. Aftercare comes to you too. If your hearing aids need a check or an adjustment, you do not have to arrange another trip.

Signs it is time to book

You might want to book a home visit if any of the following sound familiar.

• Sounds seem muffled, as though you have cotton wool in your ears
• One or both ears feel blocked or full
• The television is louder than other people in the house would choose
• You often ask people to repeat themselves
• Conversations in restaurants or at family gatherings are hard to follow
• Your hearing aids whistle or sound quieter than they used to
• You have ringing or buzzing that is new

Muffled hearing is often caused by earwax, which can be cleared in a single visit. If wax is not the cause, a hearing test is the sensible next step, and Baz can carry that out at home as well.

Earwax removal at home

Baz uses endoscopic microsuction, which means he can see inside your ear canal on a screen while he uses a gentle suction tool to lift the wax out. No water is used. Most appointments for both ears take around half an hour, although very hard wax can take longer. Baz will tell you if the wax needs softening first, and olive oil drops are the usual way to do that.

Please do not try to clear wax yourself with cotton buds, ear candles or home suction kits. They can push the wax further in or injure the canal.

Hearing tests and hearing aid fittings at home

A hearing test at home follows the same steps as one in a clinic. You listen to a range of tones and respond when you hear them, and Baz then explains the results in plain language. If a hearing aid would help, he talks through the options with you and what you want to get from them.

Fitting hearing aids at home has a practical advantage. Once they are programmed and in your ears, you can hear how they sound with the television on, a conversation going on or the kettle boiling, which are the sounds you will actually be living with. Any small adjustments can be made while you are there.

Each fitting comes with five years of free aftercare, and Baz will be happy to explain what that covers when you book.

About Baz

Baz Chandarana is HCPC registered and has eight years of experience across public and private audiology. Waxy Clear has over 180 five-star reviews from people who have had Baz visit them at home, which is a good guide to what the appointment is like.

Where Baz visits

Waxy Clear covers Mountsorrel, Rothley, Quorn, Barrow upon Soar, Sileby, Woodhouse Eaves, Wymeswold, Newtown Linford, Walton on the Wolds and Loughborough. If you live a little further out, ask when you book and we will let you know whether we can come to you.

When to see your GP first

Book a GP appointment before any wax removal if you have ear pain, discharge from the ear, dizziness, sudden hearing loss or a known perforated eardrum. Once anything more serious has been ruled out, a home visit is a straightforward way to get your ears or hearing looked after.

Frequently asked questions

Is a home visit as thorough as a clinic appointment?

Yes. Baz is an HCPC registered audiologist with eight years of experience, and he brings the equipment he needs to your home. The care you receive depends on the practitioner and the method used, and the setting does not change that.

Do I need to prepare anything?

Choose a quiet room with a comfortable seat and good light, and turn off the television and radio. If you are having your wax removed, mention if you have been using olive oil drops, and have a note of any ear surgery, infections or perforations ready.

Can more than one person in the household be seen?

Yes, in most cases. Let us know how many people would like an appointment when you book so we can allow enough time.

Which areas does Waxy Clear cover?

Mountsorrel, Rothley, Quorn, Barrow upon Soar, Sileby, Woodhouse Eaves, Wymeswold, Newtown Linford, Walton on the Wolds and Loughborough.

What does the five years of free aftercare include?

It is offered with hearing aid fittings. Ask Baz when you book and he will explain exactly what it covers for your hearing aids.

If you are in Quorn, Rothley or anywhere else on the list and would like Baz to visit, get in touch and we will find a time that suits you.