Your hearing won’t be simply gone one day when you wake up. For most people, hearing loss progresses in degrees, especially when it is related to the aging process. Some indicators show up earlier, though, and you don’t recognize there is an issue right away.
The early symptoms of progressive hearing loss are subtle. Recognizing them sooner is essential to delay the development of hearing loss or other health problems connected to aging. However, you’re unable to detect the signs if you don’t know what they are. Contemplate these eight barely detectable signs that you might have hearing loss.
1. Certain voices you can’t hear very well, others you can
Maybe you can hear the cashier perfectly, but when your wife joins the conversation, everything gets muddled. It’s a common indication of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that distribute electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is higher in pitch, and that’s why it’s unclear. You may have the same issue with your grandchild or daughter. Even higher pitched tones like the phone ringing or alarm clock can get lost. Those tones are high, too.
2. You don’t like to talk on the phone
It’s easy to make excuses for why you don’t pick up the phone when it rings:
- It’s a brand new phone, and I’m just not used to it yet
- I get tons of spam calls – that’s probably what it is
You dread talking on the phone, but why? It will be a useful idea to get someone else to check the phone for you if the volume is at max and you still can’t hear what the other person is saying. If they are able to hear the conversation and you can’t, your ears are likely the issue.
3. Why does everybody mumble these days?
It seems as if it’s no longer only the kids who are mumbling when they talk, it’s your neighbor, the news lady, your spouse, and even your bartender. If it seems as if everyone in your life is mumbling, you’re most likely dealing with hearing loss, because what is the probability of that? The way you hear words is changing. Mumbling or lost consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the initial indications that your hearing is changing.
4. You’re saying “what?” a lot
It may not be until someone points out that you’re saying “what?” a lot that you realize you are developing hearing loss. Often, the first people to detect you are developing hearing loss are the people you see on a daily basis, like family and coworkers. If somebody comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. Why do I hear ringing sounds in my ears?
This sign is somewhat more obvious, but unless it becomes a distraction, people tend to ignore it. A prevalent sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Triggers are a substantial factor in tinnitus so it can be periodic, too. Perhaps, when you first get up in the morning is when you have the most pronounced ringing or buzzing. Or, it could also be a symptom of high blood pressure, circulatory problems, or trauma.
If you’re noticing these symptoms you should make an appointment for an exam because they may be an indication that you’re having a health issue.
6. Meeting your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as fun
It’s no fun when it sounds as if that many people are mumbling all at once. It’s so much harder to make out what people are saying in noisy places. Something as basic as youngsters playing and splashing around in the pool or the sound of the AC coming on you makes it impossible to hear anything. And, you always feel exhausted from trying to focus in on conversations.
7. You feel more worn out than usual
Struggling to understand words is exhausting. Your brain has to work harder to process what it does hear, so you are more tired than usual. Your other senses might even begin to change. How much energy is left over for eyesight, for example, if your brain is using so much of its energy attempting to hear and understand words? If your eyes have tested fine, now it’s time to get your hearing checked.
8. Why can’t I hear this TV?
When you have to keep turning the volume on your TV up, it becomes all too easy to place the blame on your service provider or that old TV. It can be hard to follow the dialogue on your favorite shows when you’re dealing with hearing loss. The background music and sound effects are confusing dialogue, for example. What about the other things in the room like the AC or the ceiling fan? If you keep cranking the volume up, then your hearing may be failing.
The good thing is, if your hearing is declining, hearing aids can help, you just need to get a hearing test.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for a hearing assessment if you’ve experienced any of the above signs.
