Living with hearing loss

Hearing loss is a common condition affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide. On this page you will learn to recognise the signs of hearing loss, understand your treatment options and how you can help someone with a hearing loss.

Do you need a hearing test?

Recognise the signs of hearing loss

Treating hearing loss as early as possible can have a profound, positive impact on your overall quality of life and long-term health. Our experts recommended that you seek help as soon as you begin to recognise symptoms, such as:

Difficulty following group conversations

Image shows woman holding hand close to her ear

Asking others to repeat themselves

People around you seem to be mumbling or talking softly

Having to turn up the TV, radio or phone volume to hear properly

Difficulty hearing what people are saying if they don’t look directly at you

Image shows woman holding head due to discomfort

Feeling tired at the end of the day from straining to hear

How to handle the symptoms of hearing loss

If you notice that you or a loved one is experiencing signs of hearing loss, we advise you to seek advice in one of our 80+ Hidden Hearing clinics, nationwide.

When you book a free hearing appointment, you will have a fully comprehensive hearing test will lasts one hour. The test will indicate:

Whether you have hearing loss
Your level of hearing loss
What treatment options are available to you

You can also start out by taking our online hearing test. It takes less than 5 minutes and gives you a quick assessment regarding whether you show signs of hearing loss.

Book a FREE hearing test

Living with untreated hearing loss

If you have difficulty hearing, you might make small adjustments in your daily life to compensate for the hearing loss. For example, you might start to withdraw from social activities. This withdrawal can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

But you don’t have to accept the undesirable lifestyle changes that untreated hearing loss can have. You can receive treatment for your hearing loss so that you can communicate freely and participate in conversations again.

The first step towards better hearing is having a free hearing test in one of our hearing clinics. Hearing tests are free of charge in all our clinics.

Steps to better hearing Untreated hearing loss

How to help someone with hearing loss

It can be difficult to talk to a friend or loved one about hearing loss. It’s important to find a good time to have the conversation. Be mindful of the fact that it may be a sensitive topic for them.

They may be experiencing a lowered self-confidence as a result of their hearing loss. With this in mind, be understanding and supportive in your approach. Here are a few tips for talking to someone about hearing loss:

Prepare yourself for the conversation
Find a comfortable place to talk
Show compassion and support
Help them take one step in the right direction that will get them closer to treatment

Stephen & Mary O'Neill

Stephen & Mary discuss the impact that hearing loss has had on their family life. The married couple share their life-transforming experiences in the hope that they will encourage other people, who have hearing issues at any level, to seek help.

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What can you do to help

Read more tips about helping a loved one address their potential hearing loss.
Help someone with hearing loss

An easy first step is taking a quick online assessment that indicates if you may have hearing loss.
Take online hearing test

In most cases, the best next step will be to agree that your friend or loved one book a hearing test in a hearing clinic. This action step will help them to get a better understanding of both the level and type of hearing loss.

Image shows man talking on the phone sitting on the sofa

Seek help for hearing loss: Book a FREE hearing test

If you recognise hearing loss symptoms (such as having trouble hearing conversations or turning up the TV louder than normal), we suggest that you seek expert advice by booking an appointment

Question 1 of 1

Have you had a hearing test within the last two years?

How to test your hearing for free

Hidden Hearing offers free hearing tests to all customers. Use our clinic locator to find a clinic near you, where you can book your free hearing test. When we test your hearing, you can expect to receive the following:

A consultation with a certified hearing care expert.
A comprehensive hearing test with same-day results.
A selection of high-quality hearing aids from multiple brands.
Flexible 0% finance payment plans.
Our exclusive expert care guarantee (valid for 4 years after purchase) – which includes everything you need to get the most out of your hearing aids - including unlimited batteries for your hearing aids.

Book a FREE hearing test

We're here to help you hear better with life-changing hearing care

While modern hearing aids are more effective than ever before in significantly improving hearing ability, they do not restore your hearing completely.

However, hearing aids can come close. You can expect to hear significantly better than you would without hearing aids.
Additionally, hearing aids have been shown to improve quality of life, self-confidence, and social engagement.

90-day money back guarantee Life-changing hearing aids

The hidden risks of hearing loss

Although hearing loss affects people in different ways, many studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a number of emotional and social consequences. Some of them include:

Less social interaction and loneliness.
Weakened memory and a decreased ability to learn new tasks.
Reduced performance at work or school.
Tiredness, worry, stress and depression.
Reduced awareness and an increased risk to personal safety (for example, while driving)
Increased risk for cognitive decline.

Hearing loss and dementia

Sources

G Livingston, Jonathan Huntley, Andrew Sommerlad, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet. July 30, 2020.
10., Marketrak. 'Marketing Research, Inc.'.
https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_2
https://betterhearing.org/HIA/assets/File/public/marketrak/MarkeTrak_VII_The_Impact_of_Untreated_Hearing_Loss_on_Household_Income.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21320988/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/world-report-on-hearing