Hearing plays a big part in helping us enjoy life. Some of us are born with hearing loss and sometimes it develops as we age. But the most common cause of hearing loss is being exposed to loud noise over a long time. One in six Australians live with hearing loss, and in many cases, it could have been prevented. Hearing loss often happens gradually, so we might not notice it at first.
Some of the early signs are:
Having trouble hearing in noisy places, often asking people to repeat themselves, needing to have the TV or radio louder than other people, and avoiding social situations because you have trouble hearing.
You can have a hearing test done by an audiologist or audiometrist to detect any early signs of hearing loss.
Having your hearing checked regularly can help maintain healthy hearing for longer.
You can talk to your GP or book an appointment with a hearing clinic. You don’t need a referral. And don’t worry if you do have some hearing loss, there are options that can help. These include:
- Simple communication strategies like reducing background noise and speaking face to face.
- Listening devices such as personal amplifiers and headphones.
- Phone apps such as instant translators that convert speech to text in real time.
- Hearing aids are small wearable devices that make sounds louder.
Book a hearing check. Talk to a health professional, or visit health.gov.au/hearing for more information.