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10 February, 2010

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Ear care - quiz

How can you maintain healthy ears and protect your hearing? Test your knowledge with our quick health quiz.

1. How do you clean your ears?
A. Wash the outer ear only.
B. Wash the outer ear, and pick wax from the rim of the ear canal with a fingernail or cotton bud.
C. Wash the outer ear, and remove wax from deep inside the ear canal with a cotton bud.

2. How loud do you think a noise has to be before it starts to damage your hearing?
A. Extremely loud - when the noise hurts your ears.
B. Very loud - when you can’t hear what someone is shouting to you.
C. Quite loud - when you have to shout to be heard.

3. Do you wear earplugs or ear muffs while using equipment around the home such as lawnmowers, whipper snippers and power tools?
A. Sometimes.
B. Always.
C. Never.

4. When listening to music - on the stereo at home, in the car or via headphones - do you like to have the volume loud enough to drown out all other sounds?
A. Of course - that’s the only way to listen to music.
B. Sometimes, if hosting a party for instance.
C. Never - music should be pleasant background noise to conversation.

5. Are you frequently in noisy environments, such as workplaces with machinery, or motor racing events, discos or rock concerts?
A. Occasionally or never.
B. Sometimes.
C. All the time.

6. Head injuries can sometimes cause hearing loss. How safety conscious are you?
A. You always wear your seatbelt while travelling by car, and use protective equipment such as helmets while bicycling and playing contact sports.
B. You usually take such safety precautions, but there are times when you just can’t be bothered wearing protective equipment, such as on a hot day.
C. You never bother to wear protective equipment, or else you sometimes don’t worry about wearing your seatbelt on short car trips.

7. How you do treat upper respiratory tract infections?
A. You take it easy for a few days, and take over-the-counter medication to help manage the symptoms.
B. You see your doctor for prompt diagnosis and treatment.
C. You let nature take its course.

Your score is:

Score 7 to 11:
You could be flirting with serious hearing damage. It’s in your best interests to find out more about how to protect your hearing, and make significant changes to your lifestyle.

Score 12 to 16:
You have a basic understanding of hearing safety, but some of your lifestyle choices could be putting your hearing at risk.

Score 17 to 21:
] Congratulations, your lifestyle choices are substantially reducing your risk of hearing loss.

> Check the best answers.

You might also be interested in:
Deafness - a range of causes.
Ear problems in children.
Ear wax.
Ears - ways to protect your hearing.
Ears explained.
Hearing loss - how it affects people.
Hearing problems in children.
Middle ear infections.

Want to know more?
Go to More information for support groups, related links and references.

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This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH)

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Last updated: January 2008

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