If you have wondered whether your hearing is slipping but you are not quite ready to pick up the phone, there is an easy place to start. Our free online hearing check takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and you can do it at your kitchen table with a pair of headphones.
It is not a full hearing test, and we will be honest with you about that. But it is a sensible, no-pressure way to get a first sense of where your hearing stands. Here is exactly what it does, what it does not do, and what to do next.
What does the free online hearing check actually do?
The online check plays a series of sounds and words at different volumes and pitches and asks you to respond to what you can hear. From your answers it gives you a quick indication of whether your hearing looks broadly normal, or whether it might be worth having a proper look.
Think of it like the tyre-pressure light on your car. It is not a full service, but it tells you whether something deserves attention. For a lot of people, that is genuinely all they need to stop putting the question off. You can try the online hearing check here whenever it suits you.
A few practical tips to get a fair result:
- Use headphones or earphones rather than your laptop speakers.
- Find a quiet room and turn off the television.
- Set the volume to a comfortable, normal level before you start.
- Answer honestly, even when a sound is faint.
What can't it tell you?
This is the important part. An online screening runs on your own device, in your own room, using your own headphones, none of which are calibrated. So it can give you a useful nudge, but it cannot measure your hearing precisely or tell you why your hearing has changed.
In particular, it cannot see inside your ear. A very common reason for muffled or dulled hearing is simply earwax, which an online tone test has no way of detecting. If your hearing feels blocked or full, the cause may be nothing more than wax, and our microsuction wax removal can often sort that in a single visit.
It also cannot diagnose hearing loss, rule out an ear infection, or tell the difference between a temporary problem and a permanent one. That is what an in-person appointment is for.
One thing the online check must never replace: if your hearing has dropped suddenly, especially in one ear, treat it as a medical emergency. Do not wait to do an online test. Contact your GP, call NHS 111, or go to A&E the same day, because sudden hearing loss recovers best when it is treated within a few days.
Who is the online check a good fit for?
It suits you well if you are an adult who has noticed hearing creeping to the back of your mind but nothing alarming: turning the television up a little, asking people to repeat themselves in the pub, or struggling to follow a conversation when there is background noise.
It is a good first step if:
- You are curious but not sure your hearing is "bad enough" to book anything.
- A partner or family member has hinted that you are mishearing them.
- You want a quick baseline before deciding whether to come in.
It is not the right tool if you already know something is wrong, if you have pain, discharge, ringing that is bothering you, or a sudden change. In those cases, please skip the screening and speak to us or your GP directly.
I have done the check, so what is the sensible next step?
If the result looks reassuring and you have no other symptoms, you may not need us yet. Genuinely. Keep an eye on things and check again in a year or so, or if you notice a change.
If the result suggests you might benefit from a closer look, the next step is a full hearing check with us in Wickersley. Unlike the online version, this is done in a quiet room with calibrated equipment by an HCPC-registered audiologist who will also look inside your ears. We can tell you clearly whether your hearing is fine, whether it is wax, or whether some level of hearing loss is present.
There is no pressure and no hard sell. If you would like to know what happens when you come in, we have written it all out on our your first visit page. And because we are fully independent, if hearing aids ever turn out to help, we can fit any of the seven leading brands rather than pushing one make.
Ready to see where you stand, without booking anything? Try our free online hearing check, it takes about two minutes and costs nothing. If it flags something, or you would simply rather have real answers, book a full hearing check with us or call 01709 437250.
