Recognizing the Signs of Hearing Loss

Image Credit: https://www.protectear.com/

Some of our health conditions come on very slowly that we don’t notice the changes happening over such a long period of time. Hearing loss can be one of those conditions.

Just as the causes of hearing loss vary, the signs of hearing loss, along with their effects, vary as well. Hearing damage is felt in the ears; however, it is a sensory loss that also affects the person involved socially and psychologically. If you suspect yourself or someone close to you experiencing hearing loss symptoms, here are a few things to look for. In today’s article, we will be discussing how to recognize the different signs of hearing loss.   

If you focus in the early years or in primary school on recognizing the signs of hearing loss and not ignoring them, there is a high chance that your child will not have an undiagnosed hearing loss. You can also follow a lifestyle that avoids noise-induced hearing loss and keeps age-related hearing loss from becoming worse. Simple habits help preserve your hearing!

First signs of Hearing Loss

Everyone’s hearing quality is different than the other. It is very important to be aware of all the warning signs that show you are on the decline. The earlier it is detected, the faster it can be treated.

As a first sign, the person starts to alter the volume. Sound becomes dull and muffled, making speech very hard to understand.

• Locating the source of sound and picking it out against background noise becomes very frustrating and tiring.

• Following conversations becomes difficult on the phone, in meetings and while socializing with friends.

1. When having a conversation on the phone, you cannot read the lips of the person talking to you and this is something we all do, to some extent, whether we realize it or not.

2. When the volume of the phone is turned up over 60% with most of the phone calls and not occasionally, and there is no ambient noise on either end, then these are signs that you might be experiencing different degrees of hearing loss.

Main Signs & Symptoms of Hearing Loss 

Whether it is you or someone else close to you who observes the signs of hearing loss first, these are the most common symptoms and signs.

• Others Complain That the Volume of the TV Is Too Loud.

This happens when you watch television, listen to music, or talk on the phone. You think that the noise is perfectly normal until someone informs you that the volume is too high. This gives you a sign that your level of hearing is lower than the others around you.

Likewise, if you start using closed captioning more than usual because you are not able to hear the dialog, then it may be a sign that your ability to hear has become diminished.

• You Struggle Hearing Others in Crowds.

Trying to hear and understand a conversation in a noisy room is definitely harder than in a quiet room. Your ears and brain have to work double the work than usual to filter out the extraneous noise and pick up the conversation taking place.

An early sign of hearing loss is when you have difficulty following a conversation in a crowd or if you have trouble differentiating between who is speaking to you in a noisy environment.

If you find yourself grappling with hearing all the words, this could be a sign that your hearing is compromised.

• You Cannot Understand Others.

If you misunderstand people when they speak to you, this can lead to a string of misinterpretations, causing miscommunication between you and those you are speaking to. You might think the people around you are mumbling. This is because you cannot distinguish consonants and vowel sounds.

• You Find it Harder to Hear Children and Women.

Hearing loss types starts with higher frequency sounds. Women and children’s voices fall in these higher registers. With time, you might notice that you are having a harder time hearing their voices in specific.

• You Begin Avoiding Social Situations.

Not being able to follow conversations can be very frustrating, exhausting and isolating. In many cases, it can be embarrassing to keep asking people to repeat what is said. With time, without noticing, you might start turning down invitations and avoiding large gatherings more.

• You Start Having Ringing in Your Ears.

We might all experience temporary ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus. When it stops being temporary, then the sound can be very loud that it starts to interfere with your ability to concentrate and hear external sounds. If the hairs of the inner ear are bent or broken, due to age or when exposed to loud sounds, they can “leak” random electrical impulses, causing tinnitus.

• You Ask “What?” a Lot.

Asking other people to constantly repeat themselves is not only frustrating, but it can start making you feel uncomfortable as well when asking it. You find yourself always needing clarification, especially when the person facing you is at a distance.

Understanding how to recognize the signs and symptoms of hearing loss helps prevent further progression, making all the difference in maintaining a better quality of life. If you are 60 years of age or above, having regular hearing exams ensure that any changes in your hearing are detected, diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Do you think you may have hearing loss? Book a hearing test today!