It isn’t like you simply wake up one day, and your hearing is gone. Hearing loss, particularly when it’s caused by aging, generally advances in degrees. Some indicators appear earlier, though, and you don’t detect there is an issue right away.
The early symptoms of progressive hearing loss are discrete. Identifying them sooner is crucial to delay the progression 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. You might be developing hearing loss if you identify any of the following eight barely noticeable indicators.
1. You hear some people just fine but not others
Maybe you can hear the cashier perfectly, but when your wife joins the conversation, everything gets muddled. It’s a common indication that the nerves that send messages to the brain are damaged (known as sensorineural hearing loss).
Her voice is less clear to you because it’s higher in pitch. You might have the same problem with your grandchild or daughter. Even technology like the microwave or an alarm can throw a loop into things. Those are also high pitched tones.
2. You avoid phone calls
It’s easy to make excuses for why you don’t pick up the phone when it rings:
- I’m simply not used to this brand new phone yet
- It’s probably just spam
Consider why you dread talking on your phone. 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 can’t hear what the other person is saying. If they are able to hear the conversation and you can’t, your ears are probably the problem.
3. Why is everybody mumbling?
It used to be just the kids, but lately, the lady on the TV news, the bartender, your neighbor, and your partner all seem like they’re mumbling when they speak with you. It’s hard to imagine that everybody in your life suddenly has poor enunciation so this is a good indication of hearing loss. You’re not hearing words the same as you used to. Mumbling or lost consonants like “S” or “T” is one of the first signs that your hearing is going through changes.
4. What?
You may not even recognize that you can’t hear conversations anymore until someone points out that you’re saying “What?” during conversations a lot. Frequently, the first people to detect you are developing hearing loss are the people you see every day, like family and coworkers. If somebody comments on it, you should pay attention.
5. What’s that ringing in my ears?
This sign is somewhat more obvious, but unless it becomes a distraction, people tend to disregard it. Tinnitus, the medical name for the ringing or buzzing in the ear, is a common symptom of hearing loss.
Tinnitus can also be intermittent because triggers are a significant factor. Perhaps, when you first get up in the morning is when you have the most noticeable ringing or buzzing. Or a trauma, circulatory issues, or high blood pressure might be the cause.
If you’re noticing these symptoms you should schedule an appointment for an exam because they may be an indication that you’re having a health issue.
6. It isn’t as enjoyable attending the neighborhood block party
Once again, there are those people mumbling, and that’s not fun. It’s so much more difficult to make out what people are saying in noisy settings. It becomes extremely difficult for you to hear anything when you’re in the presence of something as basic as the AC kicking in or youngsters splashing and playing around the pool. And, you always feel fatigued from trying to focus in on conversations.
7. You’re normally not this fatigued
It’s laborious when you struggle to understand words. Your brain needs to work overtime to process what it can hear, so you are more fatigued than usual. You may even experience differences in your other senses. How much energy is left over for eyesight, for example, if your brain is spending so much of its energy trying to hear and understand words? If your eyes have tested fine, now it’s time to have your ears checked.
8. Why is this TV volume so low?
When you have to constantly turn the volume on your TV up, it becomes all too easy to blame your service provider or that old TV. It can be difficult to hear the dialogue on your favorite shows when you’re dealing with hearing loss. Dialogue is being muddled by background music and sound effects. How about the other things in the room like the AC or the ceiling fan? Your hearing might be failing if you constantly turn the volume up.
Luckily, if your hearing is failing, hearing aids can help, you just need to have your hearing tested.
If you notice any of the above signs of hearing loss, contact us today to make an appointment.