Everyday Noise & Hearing Protection Checkup | UCSF EARS
Tool · Noise & Hearing Protection Checkup

Everyday Noise & Hearing Protection Checkup

Get a quick snapshot of your everyday noise exposure, how often you protect your ears, and simple ways to lower long-term risk — without fear or guilt.

About 3–5 minutes Designed for phones

This checkup is for education only. It is not a formal noise-dose calculation, occupational health evaluation, or medical decision tool. Use it to organize your thoughts and language — then talk with your own clinicians about next steps.

Tell us about your noise world

This isn’t about perfection. Choose the options that feel closest — we’ll translate that into a clear snapshot and suggestions.

Baseline hearing context

These answers help us frame your results (protecting what you have vs. preventing new damage).

Baseline
Have you ever had a formal hearing test?
Do you already know you have hearing loss?
Work: loud jobs or workplaces

Think about a typical month. Check what fits, even if it’s in the past or part-time.

Noise exposure
How often is work loud enough that you’d raise your voice? Rare / special occasions
Rarely Sometimes Most days
Music, nightlife, and loud social spaces

Include concerts, clubs, loud gyms, sporting events, and “speaker-turned-up” gatherings.

Noise exposure
In a typical month, how often are you in these kinds of spaces? Rare / special occasions
Rarely Some weekends Most weeks
Headphones / earbuds

Think about your typical day with music, podcasts, meetings, or videos.

Headphones
What do you mostly use?
Typical volume when things are “normal” (not on a plane or train):
On a typical day, how many hours do you wear them? Less than 1
<1 hr 1–3 hrs 6+ hrs
Hobbies and “big sound” moments

These can matter a lot, even if they’re only a few times a month.

Hobbies
How often do these come up? Rare / once in a while
Occasional Some weekends Most weeks
Hearing protection habits (earplugs / earmuffs)

There’s no shame here. Most people were never actually taught this.

Protection
When sound is clearly loud (concerts, power tools, etc.), how often do you use hearing protection?
What kind do you use?
Has anyone ever shown you how to insert earplugs correctly (roll, pull, insert)?
Symptoms and worry level

These don’t prove anything by themselves, but they help us decide how strongly to nudge you toward a check-in.

Now
After loud sound, have you noticed:
Right now, how worried are you about noise damage? Mostly curious
Curious Concerned Actively worried

You can change answers anytime. The snapshot updates as you go.

Next steps to keep your hearing safe long-term

Hearing changes from noise usually build up slowly. The good news: protective habits also build up slowly — and it is never “too late” to start taking this seriously.

Visit the Understanding hub Explore hearing protection & devices iPhone Hearing Health Guide Care Navigator (ear & hearing symptoms) Tinnitus Care Pathway

Bring a screenshot or printout of this page to your appointments if it helps you remember what to ask. Your clinicians know your full story — this tool is just here to give you language and a starting map.