Navigating Your Way Through Common Women's Health Issues

How to Check for Hearing Loss at Home

Hearing loss is something that many people experience in life, especially as they get older. And although it's particularly associated with ageing, it can actually happen to anyone, at any stage of life. This is because various lifestyle factors and underlying conditions can lead to a loss of hearing ability, so it's not just a simple fact of getting older.

Fortunately, it's not something to be feared as much as it once was. Hearing aids have now advanced to an excellent stage, and there may be other treatments you can have if you spot your hearing loss early. Because of this, it's important to be aware of how well you can hear. Here are some checks you can do at home:

Television volume test

This is simple to do but can be very revealing. All you need to do is adjust the volume of your television to a level you can hear comfortably. Be honest, don't put it lower than you really need – you should be able to make out what's being said on-screen without straining or concentrating hard. Once you have the level set, ask a few friends or family members their opinion on it. Is it far too loud? A bit louder than it should be? Or is it fine? If a few different people think it's too loud, you may have hearing loss and should get tested properly.

Listen to a variety of people

Sometimes, hearing loss isn't as simple as everything being quieter; it might just be certain frequencies that you can't hear as well. To test this, notice how well you can understand what different people are saying. Women and children have naturally higher voices than adult men, so pay attention to any noticeable differences and you might catch early signs of hearing loss.

Online hearing tests

Nowadays, there are a number of tests you can do via the internet; there are also apps that can be downloaded to a mobile device. These can let you test your hearing in the privacy of your own home, without the need to tell anyone else. While their results shouldn't be relied on as a medical diagnosis, they can highlight whether proper testing is a good idea.

Talk to friends and family

If you're not embarrassed to do so, ask people who know you what they think about your hearing ability. They may have noticed you asking them to repeat themselves more often, or that you sometimes mishear what they've said. This can help you recognise if things are starting to change with your hearing.


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