It’s no surprise that being aware and educated about your body is the best form of preventative medicine. Just like any other part of your body, when it comes to your hearing, you should make it a point to keep your ears healthy and functioning properly. The quality of your life depends on it. Luckily, there are signs and symptoms to watch out for. Once signs and symptoms of hearing loss are noticed, it is vital that you see an audiologist as soon as possible so you can have your hearing evaluated further.

In recognition of National Audiology Awareness Month, we bring you a self-test for hearing loss that you can use as an initial screening to find out if a hearing evaluation for you or a loved one is necessary.

1. Do you have problems hearing when a person speaks in a low voice or whispers?

2. When other people talk to you, does it often sound like they aren’t speaking clearly or are mumbling?

3. Do you often have problems understanding the speech of young children and women?

4. Do you find that you have difficulty hearing and understanding others when there is a lot of background noise?

5. Do you find that other people often get frustrated because you often misunderstand them, or don’t reply to what they are saying?

6. Do others often tell you that you have the volume on the television or radio up too loud?

7. Do you find yourself frequently having to ask people to repeat themselves?

8. Do you often experience ringing in your ears?

9. If two or more people are speaking at the same time, do you find that you have trouble following the conversation?

10. When speaking on the telephone, do you find that you hear better through one ear?

11. Do you have a hard time following a conversation on the telephone?

If you answered yes to two or more questions, contact us to schedule an evaluation with one of our certified audiologists.