To get an idea of how well you hear, answer the following questions developed by the American Academy of Otalryngology, and then calculate your score. To calculate your score, give yourself 3 points for every “Almost always” answer, 2 points for every “Half the time” answer, 1 point for every “Occasionally” answer, and 0 for every “Never.” If hearing loss runs in your family, please add an additional 3 points to your overall score.
| Never | Occasionally | Half the time | Almost always | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 1. I have a problem hearing over the telephone. | ||||||
| 2. I have trouble following the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time. | ||||||
| 3. People complain that I turn the TV volume too high. | ||||||
| 4. I have to strain to understand conversations. | ||||||
| 5. I miss hearing some common sounds like the phone or doorbell ring. | ||||||
| 6. I have trouble hearing conversations in a noisy background, such as a party. | ||||||
| 7. I get confused about where sounds come from. | ||||||
| 8. I misunderstand some words in a sentence and need to ask people to repeat themselves. | ||||||
| 9. I especially have trouble understanding the speech of women and children. | ||||||
| 10. I have worked in noisy environments (such as assembly lines, construction sites, near jet engines, etc). | ||||||
| Never | Occasionally | Half the time | Almost always | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 11. Many people I talk to seem to mumble, or don't speak clearly. | ||||||
| 12. People get annoyed because I misunderstand what they say. | ||||||
| 13. I misunderstand what others are saying and make inappropriate responses. | ||||||
| 14. I avoid social activities because I cannot hear well and fear I'll make improper replies. | ||||||
| 15. Ask a family member or friend to answer this question: Do you think this person shows signs of hearing loss? | ||||||
| SCORE: | ||||||
| Score | The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery recommends the following: |
| 0 to 5 | Your hearing is fine. No action is required. |
| 6 to 9 | Suggests you see an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Specialist. |
| 10+ | Strongly recommends you see an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Specialist.. |