Do you have hearing loss? Take our online quiz to find out

Hearing loss is difficult to recognise yourself — it can change subtly over time, losing high frequencies first. Our online hearing check can give you an indication in just 60 seconds.

Rumbling road traffic, planes flying overhead, music blaring in your exercise class, listening to your favourite radio show or podcast…our ears are constantly having to work hard to process and filter the sounds of everyday life.

But how does it affect your hearing? Loud noises might be doing more damage than you realise.

1 min FREE online hearing health check

If you’ve never quite got round to booking a hearing test, or you have a feeling — however vague — that your hearing has changed since your last hearing test, then our quick online hearing test is a great place to start.

You don’t need headphones or a quiet room, just 60 seconds of your time. Take the assessment today and get a better understanding of your hearing and get a little closer to answering the question ‘do I have hearing loss?’.

Common noises and how they rank

Noise levels over 85 decibels for a prolonged period of time are considered to be harmful, so check our chart and see if you might be in need of some hearing protection:

• 30db – quiet library
• 50db – moderate rainfall
• 60db – normal conversation
• 70db – a vacuum cleaner
• 80-85db - a leaf blower, or listening to headphones at 60% volume
• 90db – a lawnmower, or the sound of traffic on a busy road
• 100db – commuting on the London Underground, EU safety limit for personal listening devices
• 120db – standing near a siren or alarm
• 140db – jet engine

How can I test my hearing?

If you’re concerned that the noise levels in your everyday life could be causing problems with your hearing, take our free online hearing check.

Perhaps you struggle to enjoy conversations when there’s too much background noise, you often need people to repeat themselves or speech can sound muffled or lack definition – these are all signs that you might be experiencing hearing loss.

Hearing protection you can use right now

A great way to protect your hearing is to wear ear plugs. Leightons offer a variety to choose from, such as custom-fit and reusable to special sports ear plugs, so you can choose the ones that are right for you.

And if you regularly find yourself turning up your volume to hear over loud background noise, a pair of noise-cancelling headphones could be the perfect option for you.

These work by eliminating background noises, meaning you are free to enjoy some peace and quiet, or to listen to your music at a quieter, safer level - without having to drown out the sound of the bus engine or your colleagues chatting about spreadsheets.

Remember, listening to headphones above around 60% of the volume on your device can be harmful to your hearing. So, if you’re always listening at full volume, it might be worth getting your hearing tested.

Book your FREE hearing assessment

Book an appointment with us today, online, over the phone on 0800 40 20 20, or pop into your local Leightons branch. We can do a free hearing check and advise you on the best form of hearing protection and treatment for you.