Listen to the ones you love

Millions of people across the world live with disabling hearing loss. In fact, 466 million worldwide.

34 million of these are children.

Up to five out of every 1000 babies are born with hearing loss or acquire it soon after birth. And 4 to 11 in 10,000 school children suffer from severe hearing loss in their early childhood.

One third of people over 65 years of age are affected.

This makes hearing loss the third most prevalent chronic health condition affecting older adults.

One of the main impacts of hearing loss is on the individual’s ability to communicate with others.

Exclusion from communication can have a significant impact on everyday life including a child’s development and education, equal opportunities, feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression and frustration.

People with hearing loss benefit from early identification: frequent hearing checks can help to enable early detection and prompt, appropriate treatment.

Facts & Figures

Hearing loss is on the rise

Hearing Range

Check your sound level

Life without Hearing Solution

Untreated hearing loss can lead to...

Hearing is Timeless

People over 65 years

affected by disabling hearing loss

How to Recognise the Symptoms

Spot the signs of hearing loss in yourself and your loved ones

People with Hearing Loss Benefit from Early Identification

Childhood Hearing Loss

34 million children under 15 years of age worldwide are affected by disabling hearing loss

Hearing Impairment Impacts Children‘s Lives and Society

Affecting speech, language and cognitive skill development

How to Recognise the Symptoms in Children

What are the signs?
  1. Hearing loss is on the rise: The World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. Available at: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (October 2018)
  2. Hearing range: © MED-EL
  3. Life without Hearing Solution: The World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. Available at: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (October 2018) / Bidadi, S., Nejadkazem, M. and Naderpour, M. (2008). The relationship between chronic otitis media–induced hearing loss and the acquisition of social skills. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 139(5), pp.665-670. / Gopinath, B., Hickson, L., Schneider, J., McMahon, C., Burlutsky, G., Leeder, S. and Mitchell, P. (2012). Hearing-impaired adults are at increased risk of experiencing emotional distress and social engagement restrictions five years later. Age and Ageing, 41(5), pp.618-623. / Jopling, K. (2017). Hearing Loss and older people. Royal Voluntary Service, p.12. Available at:https://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/Uploads/Documents/Reports%20and%20Reviews/hearing_loss_and_older_people.pdf (October 2018) / Raine, C., Atkinson, H., Strachan, D. and Martin, J. (2016). Access to cochlear implants: Time to reflect. Cochlear Implants International, 17(sup1), pp.42-46.
  4. Hearing is timeless: general statements, no need for reference
  5. People over 65 years: The World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. Available at: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (October 2018) / Chien W, Lin FR. Prevalence of hearing aid use among older adults in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:292–293 / Special Report on Hearing in Older Adults (2018). Available at: https://www.medel.com/docs/default-source/awareness-and-corporate-communication/special-reports/special-report-2---older-adults/special-report-2-hearing-in-older-adults_engl.pdf?sfvrsn=4a36c847_14 (October 2018)
  6. How to recognise the symptoms: © MED-EL
  7. People with Hearing Losss Benefit from Early Id.: general statements, no need for reference
  8. Childhood hearing loss: The World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. Available at: http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (October 2018) / Hearring Report (2014). Switched on for Life. Available at: http://www.medel.at/wp-hearring/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hearring-Report-11-14.pdf (October 2018)
  9. Hearing Impairment Impacts Children’s lives…: Hearring Report (2014). Switched on for Life. Available at: http://www.medel.at/wp-hearring/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Hearring-Report-11-14.pdf (October 2018)
  10. How to recognise the symptoms: © MED-EL

Hearing Test

When you or someone in your life is affected by hearing loss, check your hearing, encourage your loved ones to check their own hearing and offer support.

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Is it easy for you to communicate in one-on-one conversations when it is quiet?

YES NO

Is it easy for you to understand speech when there is a lot of background noise (for example in restaurants, at airports or in shopping centres)?

YES NO

Is it easy for you to hear when listening to your family, friends and neighbours?

YES NO

Is it easy for you to understand doctors, shopkeepers and other unfamiliar persons?

YES NO

Is it easy for you to hear over the telephone?

YES NO

Is it easy for you to listen to movies, lectures, etc.?

YES NO

Your results

Please note, this test is not a replacement for a professional hearing examination. We strongly recommend having your hearing tested by a professional.

Contact

At MED-EL, we can help find a hearing specialist near you and we’ll answer any questions you have.

Get in touch with us below and let us know how we can help you and your loved ones.

About hearing

Explore how hearing works and learn more about the different types of hearing loss and hearing solutions.

Learn more

The HearPeers Mentor Programme

The HearPeers Mentor Programme offers valuable information and support on life with a hearing implant. It allows you to connect directly with other hearing implant users – the HearPeers Mentors.

Learn more

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Discover

Explore Life offers you a wide range on diverse content with a focus on hearing. Set off for an exploration tour through articles, interviews, videos and more.

Report Right from the start Why early surgery for hearing implants is crucial
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Interview The three pioneers MED-EL’s first three employees and the 1990's hearing health revolution
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Essay Against all odds When Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair started developing a cochlear implant that would allow users to understand speech, they were told it would never work.
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Click to explore