I think I have a hearing loss. Where should I start?

Koorosh Nejad
20 hours ago
3 min read

Not every change in your hearing is a hearing loss. If your hearing has changed and you are concerned that this may be a permanent hearing loss, continue reading this article.

Note: This article may not be relevant to you, but it may apply to a family member, a friend or a person you know who may need hearing care, so please read and pass on the knowledge.

I think I have a hearing loss. Where should I start? HearingNow hearing care archive

You go to the swimming pool, and after that, you feel that your hearing on one side is muffled. You go to a live concert or a gig and you notice a hissing in your ears. You get a severe cold, and you feel your ears are not hearing as good as before. These are examples of what it can be, only a temporary hearing problem. But what if this is a serious hearing loss? Keep reading.

How can I do a quick online hearing test?

If you feel you have a hearing loss, the best starting point is to do an online hearing test. Please head on to our online hearing assessment page for a 5-minute online hearing test. Any online hearing test is a good indication of whether there is a hearing loss, although the result of it cannot and should not be used for setting your hearing aids. If an online hearing test shows that you have a hearing loss, then the next step would be consulting with a local audiologist to do further investigation about it.

At what age should I expect to have some hearing loss?

The human auditory system starts showing signs of natural deterioration at about age 50, but this is not set in stone. Genetic factors, your exposure to loud sounds over the past years, and other underlying health issues could also affect this. If you have a member of your family with hearing loss at a younger age than 50, then there is a chance that you may have hereditary hearing loss or develop it in the future.

At what level of hearing loss should I be worried about my mental health?

That is a good question, and I would say at all levels. Hearing thresholds (How to read an audiogram?) at smaller than 20 dB are categorised as normal hearing; the full range of the categories of hearing loss is:

zero to 20 dB is categorised as no hearing loss,
20 to 40 dB hearing loss is categorised as mild; you notice that you miss the conversation and have to ask people to repeat, especially when in a noisy restaurant.
40 to 70 dB hearing loss is categorised as moderate; you miss the jokes and bits of the conversation more often.
70 to 90 dB hearing loss is categorised as severe, family members or even the neighbours complain that the TV sound is very loud, you may miss the doorbell. You notice that you don't hear the bird's sound anymore.
90 dB and higher hearing loss is categorised as profound hearing loss.

Even a mild hearing loss can have an impact on your mental health. It can reduce your self-confidence and encourage you to excuse yourself from social gatherings with friends, and eventually social isolation.

What is a temporary hearing loss?

A shock to your auditory system or a change to the physical acoustics of it could cause a temporary hearing loss. Some of the examples of a temporary shock to your auditory system are:

Exposed to a sudden loud sound, e.g. a car accident or a bomb blast
Exposed to very loud sound for a period of time, e.g. participating in a loud concert or carnival without ear defenders
A physical trauma to your head
A blockage of your ear canal by excessive earwax
A blockage of your ear canal by a fungal infection
Blockage of your Eustachian tube after a severe cold, sinus infection, or allergy (e.g. hay fever)
Perforation in your eardrum caused by a middle ear infection, accidental punch through by cotton buds, or during a diving experience

All of the above have something in common: the hearing loss happens pretty fast. If you have experienced any of the above, you'd better check with a local audiologist to rule out other, more severe causes of your hearing loss, such as Cholesteatoma or Acoustic Neuroma.