Ears and Hearing

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Introduction

Noticing changes in your ears and hearing can be concerning. This topic delves into various aspects of hearing changes, what they could signify, and the steps you should take to address them. It’s crucial to acknowledge and act upon hearing changes to ensure optimal auditory health and overall well-being. Through understanding and timely action, you can better manage your hearing health and continue to enjoy the world of sound around you.

If you’ve noticed any changes in your hearing, start by visiting a doctor or booking an appointment to get a hearing test.

Symptoms

Changes in your hearing can include symptoms such as:

  • Ringing in your ears, especially after being around loud noises for a long period of time.
  • Finding sounds you used to hear easily being harder to hear.
  • Having to turn up the volume to hear things.
  • Asking people to repeat what they’ve said a few times because you’ve not heard them.

Try this quiz to see if your normal lifestyle is impacting your hearing.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it’s a good idea to book a hearing test.

To learn more about hearing and the things that impact hearing, visit the Know Your Noise website.

Hearing tests

A hearing test called Audiometry is used to determine the softest sound a person can hear across different pitches. In a test, you’ll be asked to listen to different sounds through headphones and respond when you hear them.

A hearing test is most often performed by an audiologist. Audiologists are specially trained to evaluate, treat and manage a hearing loss.

If a hearing problem is identified, treatment options can be put in place to improve quality of life.

You can find an audiologist by selecting ‘audiology’ on the Health Direct Service Finder.

You can take an online screening hearing test here or book into your nearest hearing service.

The Australian Government has a program that can provide free hearing service to eligible young people up to the age of 26. See the Department of Health website for more info.

Services and resources