Your hearing won’t be just gone one day when you wake up. For most individuals, hearing loss happens in degrees, particularly when it is associated with aging. You might not recognize it’s happening immediately but some signs do show up earlier.
These initially developing symptoms advance very discreetly. Identifying them sooner is crucial to delay the development of hearing loss or other health problems connected to aging. But if you are unaware of what the early symptoms are, you won’t be capable of recognizing if you have them. You may be developing hearing loss if you notice any of the following eight barely noticeable indicators.
1. Some voices you can’t hear very well, others you can
Perhaps you can understand the cashier just fine, but when your wife chimes in on the conversation, everything gets messed up. It’s a common indication of sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the nerves that deliver electrical messages to the brain.
Her voice is a higher pitch, and that’s why it isn’t as clear. You might not be capable of hearing your daughter or grandchild very well for the same reason. Even higher pitched tones like the phone ringing or alarm clock can get lost. Those tones are high, as well.
2. You don’t like to talk on the phone
When the phone rings you often make excuses for not picking it up:
- It’s probably just spam
- It’s a new phone, and I’m simply not used to it yet
You hate 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 all the way up and you still aren’t able to hear what the other person is saying. You most likely have a hearing loss issue if you can’t hear the voice but your friend can.
3. Why is everybody mumbling?
It seems as if it’s no longer just the kids who are mumbling when they speak, it’s your neighbor, the news woman, your spouse, and even your bartender. If it seems like everyone in your life is mumbling, you’re probably dealing with hearing loss, because what is the probability of that? You’re not hearing words the same as you once did. One of the first indications that something is going on with your hearing is when it sounds like people are mumbling and consonants like “S” and “T” are getting lost.
4. You’re saying “what?” a lot
You may not even recognize that you’re unable to hear conversations anymore until someone points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Very often the people you see on a daily basis like coworkers or family are the first to observe you are struggling to hear. You should certainly pay attention if somebody says something.
5. Why do I hear ringing noises in my ears?
This sign is a bit more obvious, but unless it becomes a disruption, people tend to ignore it. A prevalent sign of hearing loss is a ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus.
Triggers are a significant factor in tinnitus so it can be periodic, too. For instance, perhaps the ringing, buzzing, or roaring only occurs in the morning or when you are tired. Or a trauma, circulatory problems, or high blood pressure may be the cause.
It’s essential that you don’t disregard these tinnitus symptoms because it’s an indication that something might be wrong, so you should make an appointment right away to get checked out.
6. Joining your friends at the neighborhood barbecue isn’t as fun
Again, there are those mumbling people, and that’s not fun. It’s so much harder to make out what people are saying in noisy settings. It becomes impossible for you to hear anything when you’re around something as simple as the AC kicking in or kids splashing and playing around the pool. And, you always feel exhausted from trying to keep up with conversations.
7. You’re normally not this fatigued
Struggling to understand words is exhausting. You feel more tired than usual because your brain needs to work harder to try and interpret what it’s trying to hear. You may even experience changes in your other senses. If your brain is utilizing 110 percent of its time and energy to understand words, what’s left over for your eyesight or balance? If your eyes have tested fine, now it’s time to have your ears assessed.
8. Why is this TV volume so low?
When you have to constantly turn the volume up on your TV, it becomes all too easy to blame your service provider or that out-dated TV. When you’re experiencing hearing loss it’s difficult to hear dialog on your favorite shows. The background music and sound effects are confusing dialogue, for example. What about the other stuff in the room such as the AC or the ceiling fan? If you keep turning up the volume, then your hearing might be failing.
Fortunately, all it takes to know for certain is a professional hearing assessment and if you find out your hearing is failing, hearing aids will help you get some of your hearing back.
If you notice any of the above signs of hearing loss, give us a call today to make an appointment.
