The 3Rs of Checking Your Own Hearing is a very easy-to-remember self-check that you can use on a regular basis as an early warning system for any changes in your own hearing. You don't need any special equipment. It's all based on things you'll encounter in every day life.

Local musician, Janet Dietz, explains here how she developed an ear condition in her early 20s that caused her to lose confidence in her ability to perform. But through the efforts, encouragement and expertise of Will Parfitt, one of our hearing aid audiologists here, she has been able do things she thought she'd never again have the chance or confidence to do.

She nominated Will for the 2009 Audiologist of the Year, and he was recognised for his efforts by the independent panel of judges as "highly commended".

What brings Annie Lennox, Mick Jagger and Amy Winehouse under one roof? Answer, the Hear the World Ambassadors photography exhibition by leading hearing system manufacturer Phonak in cooperation with musician and photographer Bryan Adams, which is being sponsored by Devon’s hearing centre Broom Reid & Harris Hearing Care.

As a former BBC radio presenter my hearing has always been important to me, which is why my hearing loss was not obvious to me at first.

I was convinced that my husband was mumbling, my daughter’s diction had disintegrated and that the television needed to be turned up louder because the sound quality on new televisions was obviously not as good as on the old ones.

However, after some persuasion from my family a home visit was arranged with Broom Reid & Harris. Experts there identified some hearing loss, and I was fitted with a hearing aid.

All of a sudden I could hear the birdsong and the falling rain, and I could tell that my husband was not mumbling and that my daughter’s diction was perfect! They have noticed a great difference, and I am no longer accusing my husband of muttering through his beard.

My loss of hearing was so gradual that it was a surprise to have it confirmed.

My new hearing aid has made all the difference, and the staff at Broom Reid & Harris were very pleasant, patient and helpful indeed.

Margaret Mulhern

Eyes checked. Teeth checked. Hearing checked.

Hearing is one of our primary senses. So checking it routinely - whether you notice a problem or not - is as sensible as regular visits to the dentist or optician. As they say: prevention is better than cure!

Here you'll find all the information you need about having your hearing checked.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) describe equipment other than hearing aids that can be used to help someone overcome difficulties with hearing. Sometimes they are used with hearing aids. Sometimes instead of hearing aids.

In this article we look at different types of ALDs, including amplified phones, personal listening devices, TV Listeners and more.

This article explains how to know if you are at risk from noise damage – whether at work or leisure – and what you can do about it.

We live in a noisy world. Some of us work in noisy environments. Others enjoy pastimes that expose them to intense noise. Not to mention the potential risk of MP3 players. So how can you know if you are really at risk or not?

Most changes in your hearing will be very hard to detect without routine hearing tests. This article explains the four reasons why we miss changes in our own hearing, and why it's important that we catch them as early as possible.

According to research, about one in six adults in the United Kingdom have a degree of hearing loss. This rises to one in three people over the age of 65, but it can affect everyone from the very young to the very old.