One way to determine if your hearing is impaired is to take the following brief quiz, compiled by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health:
- Do you have a problem hearing over the telephone?
- Do you have trouble following the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time?
- Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
- Do you have to strain to understand conversation?
- Do you have trouble hearing in a noisy background?
- Do you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves?
- Do many people you talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?
- Do you misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
- Do you have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
- Do people get annoyed because you misunderstand what they say?
If you answered yes to three or more questions, you may want to see an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) or an audiologist for a hearing evaluation. Check with your primary care physician first if you believe you are having a hearing problem.
