These at-home checks could help you realise when something is wrong…
WORDS: NATALIA LUBOMIRSKI. PHOTOS (POSED BY MODELS): GETTY IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, SPEAK TO YOUR GP
Health smart
Do you often miss bits of conversations? Always turning up the TV?
Or maybe you have a constant ringing in your ears after listening to loud music? ‘After the age of 40, it’s normal to start losing hearing in the higher frequencies,’ says Dr Rony Ganguly, doctor of audiology and clinical director at Pindrop Hearing. We reveal the tests you can do at home to check yours.
Spotting signs at home
We often don’t notice early damage, think it’s ‘normal’ or maybe blame others for mumbling. So it’s no surprise that, on average, people take 10 years to seek help for hearing loss. But delays can make things worse, affect work and speech, limit activities and hinder relationships, and double the risk of developing depression. So, how can you tell if your hearing is getting worse? Try these DIY at-home tests:
WHISPER
You’ll need another person to help you. Stand several feet in front of them. Cover one of your ears and ask this person to whisper a series of pre-prepared words and numbers from a written list. Repeat back whatever you can hear them say. Do the same with the other ear. Once the test is over, check with them how much you correctly repeated of what they said. This test can identify initial problems, particularly whether your hearing loss is in one or both ears.
WHITE NOISE
White noise contains all the frequencies audible to the human ear, and it can help identify hearing loss. Find a white noise generator or app that you can play. Gradually increase the volume until you hear the white noise, then gradually decrease it until you can no longer hear it. Note the volume where you can no longer hear it – it will give you an idea of hearing sensitivity. Need to turn the volume up high? It may be time to seek professional help.
BACKGROUND SOUND
This is designed to evaluate your ability to understand speech in a noisy environment. Using headphones, listen to a recording of somebody speaking in a restaurant or party – free ‘speech-in-noise’ tests can be found online. If you experience difficulty understanding what’s being said, it may indicate you should have your hearing tested by a professional.
What did you say?
If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, it c
