It might seem like it would be evident, but hearing loss tends to be slow, so how does one know if they have it? There is no stinging pain to function as a danger sign. You do not lose consciousness or make extra trips to the restroom once it happens, either. It is safe to say the signs of hearing loss are somewhat more subtle than other autoimmune disorders like diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Even so, there are indications should you know what you’re looking for. It’s a matter of paying attention to how you hear and the effect any change might be having on your life. Take the time to consider the ways you can pinpoint hearing loss for you or somebody you love.
Conversations Change
The impact on socializing provides a number of the most telling indications. For instance, if the first word from your mouth during most discussions is “what?” That shows you are not understanding words well. Asking the people you talk to tell you again what they said is something they are likely to notice before you do, too, so listen to the way people react to having discussions with you.
When speaking to a group of a couple of individuals, you might have trouble keeping track of things. You are missing bits of what everybody says, thus you aren’t connecting the dots anymore. You can not ask everyone speaking to echo themselves, either, so you just get lost. As time passes, you avoid group discussions or stand there not understanding what’s said, since it’s just too confusing once you do.
The Background Noise Drowns Everything Out
If the only thing you hear these days is background sound, then it’s time to get a hearing test. This is a frequent symptom of hearing loss because you are not able to filter out sounds like a fan blowing or an air conditioner operating. It gets to the point at which you can’t hear what folks are saying for you because it becomes lost in the background sound.
The TV Volume Goes Up and Doesn’t Stop
It’s simple to excuse the need to turn the TV volume up on that tired set because of a busy room, but if it occurs every day, it’s most likely an indication of gradual hearing loss. When everyone else starts telling you that you have the TV or computer volume too loud, you need to wonder why this really is, and, probably, conclude that your hearing isn’t like it had been at one time.
You End up Watching Their Lips
Lip reading is a compensation technique for missing words. Gradual hearing loss starts with the loss of hard sounds. Words which contain certain letters will be incomplete. Your mind might automatically shift your attention to the individual’s lips to fix the problem. It is likely that you don’t even know you do it until someone tells you or suddenly seems uncomfortable when speaking to you.
Then There is the Buzzing
You may hear a clicking, ringing, or buzzing or the sound of the breeze in your ears — that is called tinnitus, and it is a warning of significant hearing loss. These sounds aren’t real, but phantom sounds that only you hear. For many people, they are just annoying, but for others tinnitus is painful. If you’ve got that, then you most certainly have hearing loss you will need to handle.
Hearing problems are not always obvious to the person experiencing them, but it’s to others. Listen to what your loved ones are telling you about your hearing loss. Consider, also, other medical issues that can give rise to this problem such as hypertension or medication you have been prescribed that could harm your ears and find out if age-related hearing loss is a hereditary problem you should be worried about.
It’s really like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. When you do come to that decision, see your health care provider and get a professional hearing test for affirmation. Hearing loss isn’t the end of the world, but for most, it does mean it is time to think about hearing aids.