Information Line (Freephone)
Telephone 0808 808 0123
Textphone 0808 808 9000
informationline@rnid.org.uk
Telephone 0808 808 0123
Textphone 0808 808 9000
informationline@rnid.org.uk
RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.
About the Hearing Check
Our Hearing Check is designed to help identify people who have hearing loss and encourage them to take action. It is a hearing check rather than a full hearing assessment, so we encourage anyone who is concerned about their hearing check result to seek more detailed advice from a GP or audiologist.
You can take our Hearing Check online or call 0844 800 3838 (calls from a BT landline cost up to 5p per minute. Other providers' charges may vary. Call set up charge may apply).
Will the Hearing Check help me?
We recommend that you take RNID's Hearing Check if:
- You often feel that people are mumbling or talking very softly
- You often find yourself asking people to repeat themselves
- You feel "drained" after having long conversations, to the point where you try to avoid such situations
- You find it difficult to follow conversations when in crowded public places, such as supermarkets or busy restaurants
- You regularly find yourself having to turn up the volume on your television or radio
- You are consciously bothered or irritated by background noises when you are with other people
- You often experience difficulties when having telephone conversations
How the Hearing Check works
The online and telephone Hearing Checks are 'speech-in-noise' checks. They assess your ability to hear someone speaking when there’s background noise, similar to being in a crowded room. The advantage of this kind of check is that it checks your hearing ability in a real-life way.
What happens during RNID's Hearing Checks
Both the online and telephone Hearing Check take about five minutes. During the telephone Hearing Check phone call, you will hear a recording that tells you how the Hearing Check works, then talks you through it. Before taking the online Hearing Check, please read the full Hearing Check instructions and also follow the prompts on screen. During both the online and telephone Hearing Check, you will hear a voice saying three randomly generated numbers. For example, you may hear it say "The digits 1, 4, 9". This happens up to about 30 times. The better you do, the more difficult the Hearing Check will become!
The digits are played over varying levels of background noise so it can become hard to hear what the digits are. Type in the digits you heard: you don't have to say anything during the Hearing Check.
At the end of the Hearing Check, you are given a result. You are then given advice about what to do next.
If you have a question about the hearing check, visit our frequently asked questions.
Or take the Hearing Check now.
Children
This Hearing Check has not been designed for use by children. Children should always be seen by a GP and referred for a full diagnostic test if there is any concern over their ears or hearing. There are many reasons why anyone, including children, experience hearing loss. Sometimes, this can be temporary. To ensure the best approach or treatment is adopted always speak to your GP.
We have more information on the most common cause of temporary deafness in children, glue ear, or National Deaf Children's Society has more information on deafness and hearing loss in children (external link, opens new browser window).
| Disclaimer |
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This Hearing Check does not cover all aspects of hearing nor is it a medical diagnosis. It cannot assess your ability to understand speech through hearing aids. If you would like a full hearing assessment, visit your GP and ask for a referral. This Hearing Check is designed to help identify people who have hearing loss and encourage them to take action. It is not intended for people with known hearing loss, or who use hearing aids. This Hearing Check will not pick up problems with your outer or middle ear (conductive hearing losses). Find out more about conductive hearing loss. If you are experiencing pain or discharge from your ears or feel you have a hearing loss regardless of the outcome of this hearing check you should visit your GP. This Hearing Check has not been designed for use by children. Children should always be seen by a GP and referred for a full diagnostic test if there is any concern over their ears or hearing. RNID's internet Hearing Check will only check the hearing in your better ear. However, this will give a good indication of your ability to hear in social situations. We recommend that you also consult your GP if you suspect your hearing to be a lot worse on one side than the other. |
Background information
A European dimension
RNID developed the first national telephone Hearing Check in English based on a Dutch language version carried out in the Netherlands. It has been scientifically validated at a number of universities within the UK. The Welsh language telephone Hearing Check has since been developed and validated.
The checks build on work carried out in HearCom, a European research project set up to reduce many of the barriers to communication that people who are hard of hearing face. HearCom has been supported by grants from the European Union. See the HearCom website (external link, opens new browser window) for more information. RNID is also partner within HearCom.
Acknowledgements
RNID thanks Professor Mark Lutman of the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton for his work on this project.
The English digit sequences used in the Hearing Check were recorded at Hörzentrum Oldenburg and developed as part of the HearCom project, supported by grants from the European Union. Thanks also to the VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam.
The following universities helped in the validation of the Hearing Checks and we would like to thank them for their input:
- University of Southampton (Institute of Sound and Vibration Research)
- Aston University (Hearing Services Centre)
- University of Nottingham (MRC Institute of Hearing Research)
- University College London (Department of Phonetics and Linguistics)
- University of Manchester (Audiology and Deafness Group)
- University of Bristol (Centre for Hearing and Balance Studies)
Our thanks also go to the following for their help with the development of the Welsh language Hearing Checks:
- Rhys Meredith (Consultant Audiological Scientist, ABM University NHS Trust, Swansea)
- Nathan Charlton (Kayport Ltd)
