Celebrating World Hearing Day with Boots Hearingcare 3 March 2026

Every year on 3rd March, World Hearing Day takes place, to raise awareness around deafness and preventing hearing loss.

And here at Merry Hill, we’re very lucky to have Boots Hearingcare (World of Hearing), providing free hearing tests, expert advice and a range of hearing solutions.

We caught up with Zahid, Hearing Aid Audiologist, Shabnam, Audiologist and Millie, Cluster Manager, about all the amazing work they do and their advice for anyone who may need their services.

What are the early signs of hearing loss that people should look out for?

Zahid: Early signs of hearing loss are usually subtle and annoyingly easy to blame on other people. Common ones include frequently asking others to repeat themselves, thinking people are ‘mumbling,” struggling to follow conversations in background noise (restaurants a likely culprit), turning the TV up louder than everyone else prefers, difficulty hearing on the phone, and missing softer high-pitched sounds like birdsong or children’s voices.

You might also feel more tired after social situations because you’re concentrating harder to keep up. If several of these are happening consistently, it’s less likely that its everyone else is the problem and more likely that your hearing deserves a check.

What tips would you give for protecting hearing health long term?

Millie: Be mindful of the volume that you listen to music and media through headphones and take a ‘quiet’ break where you enjoy low level noise. 

Zahid: If you want your ears to last as long as possible, think boring, consistent habits rather than over the counter medication. Manage general health too: blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and poor sleep all quietly chip away at auditory function over time. Treat ear infections promptly; avoid sticking things in your ear canal (cotton buds are not a cleaning device, they’re a wax-compacting tool), and get a baseline hearing test in adulthood so you actually know what ‘normal’ is for you.

Shabnam: Early identification of hearing loss and protecting ears from noise exposure with ear protection is really important too.

Why is regular health screening important?

Millie: It’s just as important as any other health check up like the opticians and dentist. Staying informed about your hearing enables you to take care of it and make discissions for early intervention if and when the time comes. 

Shabnam: Hearing loss occurs gradually most of the time and you don’t realise there is a problem. Also, hearing screens are non-invasive and only take 15 minutes but they can give a lot of information about your hearing health.

Early identification of a hearing loss is important as research has shown that the earlier a hearing loss is treated, the better it is for the hearing part of the brain, to keep it stimulated and help in preventing other cognitive issues like dementia.

Zahid: Most people adapt without realising how much they’re missing. Early detection allows intervention before communication strain affects relationships, work performance, listening fatigue and even cognitive load. It also helps rule out medical causes that shouldn’t be ignored.

Quite simply, the earlier changes are identified, the easier they are to manage, and the less likely someone is to wait until conversations feel like competitive lip-reading.

What would you say to someone who may be hesitant to book an appointment?

Zahid: If someone’s hesitant, I’d gently point out that a hearing check isn’t a commitment to hearing aids, it’s just information. Most people delay because they’re worried about what they’ll be told, but knowing where you stand is far less scary than guessing.

Millie: Although there is an age stigma associated with hearing loss, the Hearing Health Check appointment is there to check the general health of the ears and wax production as much as testing the hearing ability.  I focus on the benefits hearing aids will make if the customers needs them.

Shabnam: Attending any health orientated appointment can make one quite nervous, but a hearing screen is only 15 minutes and our audiologists will put you at ease and give you all the information you need. Bringing someone along is always welcome and what ever decision you make, we will always be there to guide and support. 

For more information and to book up with Boots Hearingcare, head here or give them a visit on the Upper Mall, opposite M&S.