How bad is YOUR hearing? This minute-long frequency test will tell you what age your ears are

An online test promises to reveal the age of your ears — all via playing sounds through your headphones.

The minute-long test, popularized by UK-based educational organization eChalk, works by playing an increasingly higher-frequency sound to listeners.

Participants are asked to hit 'stop' as soon as they can't hear sound anymore, which the test says reveals their ears' age.

Hearing experts say the test is largely a 'good party trick', but add it can act as a useful tool for alerting people who are suffering a decline in their hearing.

The test uses hertz (Hz) to measure hearing, saying all humans start off being able to hear sounds up to 20,000 Hz.

But by age 20, it suggests this has declined to being able to hear only sounds below 18,000 Hz.

And by the age of 50, this should have declined further so that people can only hear sounds below 12,000 Hz.

Audiologists say the natural range for human hearing is from about 2,000 to 20,000 Hz.

But this gradually declines over time — with most adults being unable to hear sounds above 16,000Hz by the time they turn 30 years old.

In their 70s, individuals may not be able to hear sounds above 14,000Hz.

Dr Amy Sarow, an audiologist at Norway-based hearing device testing service Soundly, said: 'While entertaining to engage with, these tests lack the sensitivity and specificity to provide meaningful diagnostic insight into the severity and type of hearing loss a person may have.

'At best, these tests could screen for high-frequency hearing loss.

'For example, it could suggest high-frequency hearing loss if you have difficulty hearing sounds above 2,000 Hz.'

Blake Cadwell, co-founder of Soundly, described the test as a 'fun party trick'.

About 15.5 percent of American adults, or 40million people, have trouble hearing, survey data suggests.

Among older adults, one third suffers from hearing loss.

Hearing gradually declines with age — in a medical condition termed presbycusis.

This can be caused by changes to blood flow to areas of the ear, changes to nerves in the ear or shifts in how the brain interprets sound.

It typically affects only high-pitched sounds first, and is detected when people begin to notice subtle changes to their hearing over time.

Common symptoms include having difficulty hearing softer voices, struggling with children's and speech in the presence of background noises.

People who have diabetes, poor circulation or regular exposure to loud noise may suffer from more rapid hearing loss.