Struggling to hear certain everyday sounds could be a sign of undiagnosed hearing loss. More than half of the UK population over 55 have hearing loss, and for most, it happens gradually – which means the first early warning signs can be easy to miss.
To understand what people are already struggling to hear, we ran a new survey.
What our survey found
Our survey has revealed the top ten most most common sounds people not already diagnosed with hearing loss say they cannot hear very clearly – which could be an indication of hearing loss. The sounds are:
- Leaves rustling in trees on a windy day (47%)
- Someone calling your name from another room (46%)
- The sound of rain falling nearby (43%)
- A cyclist ringing their bell (42%)
- Someone knocking at the front door (40%)
- A phone ringing in a nearby room (39%)
- Birds singing (38%)
- Approaching cars whilst crossing the road (38%)
- Children laughing (36%)
- Your name being called at the doctors or dentists (36%)
Everyday sounds aren’t the only clue. Friends and family often notice changes before you do. Our survey also found the most common phrases people hear from loved ones:
- “I already told you that” (54%)
- “You’re not listening” (50%)
- “The TV is turned up too loud” (47%)
- “You heard that wrong” (44%)
- “You miss things that people say to you” (43%)
- “You’re ignoring me” (40%)
Understanding the signs of hearing loss
Crystal Rolfe, Director of Strategy at RNID, said:
Hearing loss can happen at any time in life because there are many causes. You may also lose your hearing gradually over time due to age.
Hearing loss can also be caused by exposure to loud noise levels, injury or an infection – and these are all things that can affect the clarity of everyday sounds.
The sooner you recognise the signs and take action, the better. Getting support can bring huge benefits to people’s lives, so being aware of the sounds you might be missing is vital.”
Adam’s hearing loss journey
Adam Felman, 36, is a musician and freelance writer from West Sussex. In his late 20s, he was updating an article about hearing loss when, as he puts it, “I noticed that I had most of the symptoms.” That realisation made him book a hearing check.
After being fitted with hearing aids, Adam realised just how much he’d been missing.
I was missing all sorts of sounds before getting my hearing aids. Birdsong was a big one for me – it’s so three‑dimensional and layered, and I was missing most of it.
Getting hearing aids was wonderful. It completely changed my life… My relationships with others improved, and I felt more involved with my personal and professional lives.”
Check your hearing today
This World Hearing Day, we are encouraging people to prioritise their hearing health and take our free online hearing check – something everyone can do from the comfort of their own home.
Crystal Rolfe said:
RNID’s free online hearing check is a great place to start. It takes just three minutes, and you get the results straight away, along with information about what to do next.
There are huge benefits to taking action on undiagnosed hearing loss. People are suddenly able to communicate more easily and reconnect with friends, family and colleagues. A whole world of sounds you’d forgotten can suddenly open up. People are often amazed at what they’ve been missing.”
