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Table of Contents
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A joyful young man with dreadlocks wearing a beanie and denim jacket is smiling at the camera. He has earphones in and is carrying a messenger bag, suggesting he's enjoying music while out and about. The background is a busy city street scene with soft focus, highlighting the subject's happy demeanor in an urban setting

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.

Frequently asked questions

Got more questions? We’ve got you covered. Here are some commonly asked queries about this topic to help you understand it better. Remember, no question is too small or too big – we’re here to help!

What should I do if I notice changes in my hearing?
Visit a doctor or book a hearing test​.
Ringing in ears, difficulty hearing sounds, increasing volume, or asking for repetition​.
Through Audiometry, listening to different sounds across pitches and responding when heard​.
An audiologist, specialised in evaluating, treating, and managing hearing loss​.
Treatment options can be provided to improve quality of life​.
Use the ‘Health Direct Service Finder’ to select ‘audiology’ and find one​.
Yes, online screening hearing tests are available​.
The Australian Government provides free hearing services to eligible young people up to 26​.
Visit the ‘Know Your Noise’ website to understand more about hearing and its impacting factors​.
Book into your nearest hearing service or take an online screening hearing test​.

Need emergency assistance?

As the peak body for young people and youth services in NSW, Youth Action does not provide direct referrals to support services. If you are in distress or require urgent assistance, the following support lines are available.

If there’s immediate risk of harm to yourself or other, please call:

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (Crisis & Suicide prevention support 24/7)

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 (Mental health support 24/7) 

Link2Home: 1800 152 152 (For those experiencing homelessness 24/7)

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 (24/7)

ParentLine: 1300 1300 52 (9am to 9pm weekdays, 4pm to 9pm weekends)